Recipe for Lycanthropy
by Miss-Goldy-Locks
Summary: Harry arrives at Hogwarts for his 3rd year and finds two new teachers. The young Miss Grey and Remus Lupin. However this isn't just Harry's story anymore this is about the new teacher and her life. R/OC. Plz rate
1. Chapter 1

**Recipe for Lycanthropy **

**Chapter one- accidents and arrivals**

_The girl sat on the cold stone floor, her golden coloured curls falling over her face as she sobbed, loud and hard. She looked up and slowly saw the metal bars in front of her move gradually to the side with a dreadful screeching sound as they were pulled across the stone flags._

_The darkness on the other side of the giant metal cage scared the girl as she began to crawl slowly backwards into bars behind her; she knew what was waiting for her on the other side of the cage, if only she had her wand. _

_Her tears slipped down her cheeks as she heard the screeching of more bars been pulled from the cage, there was a low rumbling growl and a pair of deep purple eye surrounded by yellow shone in the darkness. A clawed paw stepped into the moon-lit part of the girl's side of the cage._

_The girl looked up in horror at the black beast towering over._

"_h-h-help" she said softly "help please" barely a whisper "HELP!" and the werewolf lunged._

****

Athena woke with a start as the engines of the train began to slow; she looked down at her watch. They shouldn't have arrived yet.

She wiped the window with the sleeve of her tatty purple robes, the squeaking noise sounded louder in the empty carriage where she sat alone. Something was moving outside; her eyes could detect dark shapes.

The train suddenly jolted to a stop and her luggage fell from its rack. The lights suddenly went out plummeting Athena into darkness. She muttered "_Lumos_" and headed for the door, the light flickering around her but the door opened before her hand had even reached the handle. A tall hooded figure in black robes stood before her. It took in a long rattling breath, and Athena remembered her dream. She pointed her wand at the dementor "Sirius Black is not here!" she said her wand tip glowing brighter "Now be gone!" the dementor began to shrink back, sensitive to light, drifting back down the corridor.

Athena waited for the lights to come back on and for the train to begin to move before she left the compartment. She pulled back the door and stepped out just as someone strode into the side of her.

Athena knocked the person into the window opposite, as she herself fell backwards against the closed door of the compartment.

"Sorry" she muttered rubbing the back of her head with her eyes shut.

"No it was my fault" said a hoarse voice "I was in my own little world"

Athena opened her eyes and standing before her, was a tall man wearing shabby robes he had light brown hair with the occasional grey streak. His face was tired but his eyes looked young in years.

"I should've looked" she said tucking some of her blonde curls behind her ear.

The man smiled "Remus Lupin" he held out his hand.

"Athena Grey-" she hesitated "you must be the new defence against the dark arts teacher?"

He nodded "and I'm guessing that you're too old to be a student"

"I'm Hagrid's new care of magical creature's assistant" she smiled letting his hand go.

Remus Lupin smiled "I was on my way to see the driver"

"I don't know what Gary can do to help" said Athena shrugging and folding her arms.

"I was actually going to borrow his owl" said Remus amused by her sudden implication.

"Oh" said Athena shamefully.

"It was a pleasure meeting you but I have news to send to the castle" Remus Lupin moved past her.

"I'm just going to check on the students" she pointed towards the way he came.

He nodded and hurried off. Athena walked away from her compartment but she stopped in her tracks. Her nose flared. She smelt something. Something she hadn't smelt in years.

***

The train pulled into Hogsemead station, Athena weaved in and out of the students with her luggage. She climbed into the large black carriage, smiling to the large Thestral. The creatures were fascinating in their own way; she loved being maybe one of fifty others who could see them. But then again all dark creatures loved each other.

The carriage pulled to a stop outside the castle. Athena gazed up at it her sea blue eyes searching the many towers and turrets, she hadn't been here in three years it felt like more to her as she made her away inside.

Athena walked casually down the deserted corridor towards the office of Albus Dumbledore. She rounded the corner and there he was walking dreamily towards her- almost coincidently. Athena placed down her suitcase and backpack.

"Athena" said Dumbledore holding out his arms his eyes twinkled behind his glasses they matched his sapphire robes. "Welcome back"

"Hello Albus" said Athena "it's great to be home"

Dumbledore looked Athena over; she still looked like her younger self with her baggy, worn jeans and tatty purple robes with purple converse that had shoelaces with faded grey dragons on.

"Allow me to show you to your room" he said taking hold of her jade coloured backpack.

"Its fine Albus I can manage" and she hastily took the bag from him and picked up her suitcase that was bound shut with two leather belts.

Albus nodded and he led her down a couple of corridors. They stopped in a deserted corridor that Athena remembered; it rounded another bend to Minerva McGonagall's office and room and also to the stairs that led to Gryffindor tower.

"Your room and office" said Albus opening the door they'd stopped outside opposite sat an alcove with a blue and white china vase sat on a pedestal.

Athena stepped inside the room and her face fell. The room was tiny; it had a single bed pushed up against the far wall with a bedside table. Behind the door sat a wooden desk. Against the opposite wall to the bed sat a large fireplace that over powered the room in front of the fire place was a small table with two chairs. A window was placed opposite the door with a chest of drawers to the left over the top was a mirror. The room was a soft yellow colour with cream bed sheets and chair covers.

"It's lovely" said Athena turning to meet Dumbledore's smiling face.

"I'm sorry about the size of the room" sighed Dumbledore "Professor Kettleburn only used the room as a place to store papers; he used to sleep in a tent in the grounds…except in the winter"

Athena had to keep herself from saying '_I can see why'_

She hung her backpack over the chair and dumped her suitcase on the bed.

"We should be getting to the great hall" said Dumbledore.

Athena nodded and followed him out.

"I'm happy that you decided to take the job" said Dumbledore as they walked towards the great hall.

"When you said Hagrid was teaching and he didn't mind having an assistant I was more than happy to take the job" said Athena "I didn't think you'd pick me though".

"You were an outstanding student in both OWL and NEWT year, why not select you" said Dumbledore.

"You know why Albus" said Athena she stopped and searched his face "it was good though to hear that Severus could make the potion".

Dumbledore nodded.

Footsteps echoed down the hall and Minerva McGonagall hurried round the corner clutching a letter.

"Headmaster" she said "Remus has sent an owl saying that Potter was taken ill on the train…Remus says he's sorted him out but I'm going to have Poppy take a look at him" she didn't acknowledge Athena's presence.

Albus nodded his head agreeing with Minerva "I'll have Filius cover the sorting while you speak to Harry and Miss Granger"

Minerva nodded she turned and saw Athena standing down "well…well, I thought you'd be late…you always were for my classes anyway" she muttered.

"Great to see you too Minerva" Athena was once a badly behaved Gryffindor girl "but I've grown up a lot since then"

Minerva looked her over just like Dumbledore had done but her lips twisted as she noted the shabby clothes and battered shoes, she nodded to Dumbledore and hurried away.

"She hasn't changed a bit" said Athena sarcastically

Dumbledore smiled as he led the way back to the great hall.

She took her seat two down from Dumbledore's, she would be joined either side by Hagrid and Minerva. She felt strange watching the students, she was now a teacher and her student days were long gone but she still felt odd sat at the staff table.

She looked to her right and saw, Professor Snape (ah she'd failed potions), Madam Pince and Professor Sinistra who were all old teachers. To her right was Albus, followed by Professor Flitwick, the man she'd met on the train Remus Lupin, after him was Professor Sprout, an empty seat, then Madam Hooch, Professor Vector and last of all Professor Burbage.

Athena watched the sorting quietly. She'd remembered her sorting, as everyone remembered did, the hat had told her that she was a bit of a trouble maker but noble at heart and mind, so she was placed in Gryffindor to Minerva's joy.

Hagrid had now taken his seat he turned to her his beetle black eyes glistening in the floating candle light, his hair and beard were both wet from the rain, but he still looked like Hagrid.

"Little Athena Grey" he beamed "who'd 'ave thought you'd be workin' with me"

"Who'd have thought that I'd be the assistant to the care of magical creatures' teacher, and the teacher turned out to be you" she beamed.

He beamed back "good to 'ave yeh back" he said they were good friends from when Athena went to school at Hogwarts three years ago.

Professor McGonagall took her seat as did Madam Pomfrey down the table, and two Gryffindor students.

Dumbledore stood up and the whole hall fell silent, Dumbledore's presence was like a giant candle, he illuminated the entire room.

"Welcome!" he said "welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…" he cleared his throat "as you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban who are here on ministry of magic business" Dumbledore paused, he seemed a little tense about dementors been here "they are stationed at every entrance to the grounds and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguise-or even invisibility cloaks" he added "it is not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to out prefects and our head boy and girl to make sure that no student runs foul of the dementors"

Dumbledore looked round at the students seriously.

"On a happier note I am pleased to welcome not, one but three new teachers to our rank this year" he continued "firstly professor Lupin who has kindly consented to fill the post of defence against the dark arts" Remus Lupin stood up and there was a scattered applause, he looked quite pale as he sat down.

"As to our second new appointment" Albus carried on as the applause died away "well I am sorry to say that Professor Kettleburn, our care of magical creatures teacher retired at the end of last year in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs" Athena gulped "however I am delighted to say that his place will be taken by none other than our own Rebeus Hagrid" Hagrid stood up knocking over his drink, as the applause sounded round the hall mainly from the Gryffindor table. The applause died down slowly.

"And please allow me to introduce the third new professor, the youngest we have had for a long time, she will be helping Professor Hagrid with his lessons, please welcome Professor Grey" Athena stood up and smiled, she received two wolf whistles from two red hair twin boys. She sat back down feeling a little embarrassed but happy that Dumbledore had called her Grey like in her school days.

"I don't understand why Dumbledore employed her _and_ Hagrid?" said Ron as he clapped

"Maybe it's to make sure that Hagrid can handle himself?" suggested Hermione

"What makes you think that?" asked Harry as the clapping died

"Maybe Dumbledore hasn't forgotten about Norbert" was all Hermione said as the feast began.

****

"I'm not sure Hagrid maybe we should start smaller" said Athena she was stood outside of Hagrid's hut, dressed in similar clothes to the day before but instead they were green, she still though had her golden natural curls. They were preparing their first lesson

"But it will be a real treat for 'em" said Hagrid he was smiling excitedly

"Maybe we should save them for the fifth years" said Athena "they can handle large creatures better…this is the third years first lesson"

"That's why we should start we 'em" said Hagrid

Athena looked at his smiling face how could she say no "ok…but we have to be careful we don't want any accidents"

Hagrid smiled even more "great!" he said.

Athena stood in the paddock she looked up from the ground and stood up straight with her arms by her side and her feet a little apart. The class gathered round. Athena watched quietly.

"Everyone gather round the fence here!" called Hagrid "that's it- make sure yeh can see. Now firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books-"

"How?" said a cold voice of a Slytherin boy, he had sleek blonde hair.

"Eh?" said Hagrid confused

"How do we open our books?" repeated the boy he took out his copy which was bound with a leather robe. Other students took there's out all of them bound with string, belts and bulldog clips.

"Hasn't anyone been able to open their books?" asked Athena, the class looked taken back that she'd actually spoken. But they all shook their heads.

"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em" said Hagrid as though it was obviously easy to know "look…"

He took a copy off a Gryffindor girl with busy brown hair and ripped off the spellotape that bound the book. The book was about to bite Hagrid when he ran finger down its spine, the book quivered and lay flat in his hand.

"Oh how silly we've all been!" sneered the blonde Slytherin boy "we should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess?"

"I…I thought they were funny" said Hagrid he flushed with embarrassment.

Athena frowned and walked to the edge of the paddock

"Excuse me what's your name?" she asked him.

"Draco Malfoy" he said a sneer playing at his lips as he looked Athena over.

"Well Mr Malfoy…five points from Slytherin" said Athena calmly

"What!" he shouted "what for? You can't do that!" his face was outraged

"Actually I can" said Athena "and the reason why was because unless you keep a civil tongue in your head, you shouldn't speak at all"

Malfoy looked furious.

"I like her" said Ron

"Me too" said Harry.

"Righ't then" said Hagrid who'd lost his thread as Athena joined him "so yeh've got yer books an'…an'…now yeh need the magical creatures, so we'll go an' get em'. Hang on…"

Hagrid and Athena headed away from the class and into the forest.

"Thanks for back there" he said pointing over his shoulder

"No problem" said Athena "that stuck up brat had it coming"

"God, this place has gone to the dogs" said Malfoy loudly "that oaf teaching classes with that stuck up scruffy teenager she's no older than us, my father will have a fit when I tell him-"

"Shut up Malfoy" said Harry "you're just sore because she took away Slytherin house points"

"Careful Potter there's a dementor behind you-"

"Oooooooh!" said Lavender brown. Trotting towards the class were both Hagrid and Athena each leading creatures that had bodies hind legs and tails of horses, but front legs wings and heads where giant eagles. The creatures had grey coloured beaks with orange eyes. Each talon on their front legs were at least a foot long.

Athena approached the fence and tied the chains round the top.

"Hippogriffs" roared Hagrid happily waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful aren' they?"

Hippogriffs where beautiful creatures in their own individual way. Each one in the paddock was a different colour stormy grey, bronze, a pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut and ink black.

"So if you want to come a bit closer" said Athena no one walked forward at first until a group of three friends stepped forward.

"Now the first thing you've got to know about hippogriffs is they're very proud creatures" said Athena, Hagrid was seeing how well she coped with the class "they're easily offended, so don't ever insult one because it's…just not a got idea"

"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move" continued Hagrid "its polite see? Yeh walk towards him and yeh bow an' yeh wait. If he bows back yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish cause those talons hurt"

"Right who wants to go first?" asked Athena now came the dangerous part. She hoped no one noticed how anxious she was.

The entire class backed away. The hippogriffs were getting restless they'd have to hurry this along encase they got a little bit too lively.

"No one?" said Hagrid with a pleading look.

"I'll do it" said a black haired boy, it was Harry potter.

He climbed over the fence and into the paddock

"Good man Harry!" roared Hagrid "right then-" he signalled to Athena "let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak"

Athena untied one of the chains and pulled the grey hippogriff away from the others and slipped off his leather collar.

"Easy now Harry" she said quietly "you've got to keep eye contact, try not to blink they don't trust people who blink a lot"

Harry walked forward keeping eye contact.

"Tha's it" said Hagrid "tha's it Harry…now bow…"

Harry bowed down then looked back up, Buckbeak didn't bow.

"Ah…right- back away now easy Harry…" said Athena but suddenly Buckbeak bowed.

The class clapped.

"Well done Harry!" said Athena also clapping "right you can touch him, just pat his beak, he likes that"

Harry slowly moved forward and reached out and patted Buckbeak's beak several times, Buckbeak shut his eyes lazily enjoy the affection.

"Right' then Harry" said Hagrid "I reckon he might' let yeh ride him!"

No that wasn't part of the lesson plan, but as Athena went to stop Hagrid, Harry was already half way onto Buckbeak's back.

"Go on then!" said Hagrid loudly as he slapped the Hippogriff's hindquarters.

Without warning Buckbeak's wings flapped open both sides of his body and he was soaring upwards.

"Hagrid you shouldn't have done that" said Athena as Buckbeak flew around the paddock.

"It's a bit of fun" he replied, as Harry and the hippogriff landed "Good work Harry!" roared Hagrid the class cheered "ok who else wants a go?"

The rest of the class began to climb carefully into the paddock after seeing Harry's success. Hagrid untied the other hippogriffs and the class began to approach them.

Athena smiled it was going well finally; she walked around the paddock, as one boy ran away from his hippogriff.

"It's ok he won't hurt you while I'm here" she said kindly, encouraging the boy back over "what's your name?"

"Neville Longbottom" he squeaked

"Nice to meet you" Athena smiled "now just walk slowly up to him and look him in the eyes, don't blink, bow and then look back up"

Neville did as he was told and the hippogriff bowed to him.

"I did it" he exclaimed patting the hippogriffs beak

"Five points to Gryffindor for trying" awarded Athena she walked towards Hagrid just as the Slytherin boy spoke.

"You're not dangerous at all are you? You great ugly brute" Athena saw it coming, as Buckbeak slashed the boy. Hagrid wrestled Buckbeak back into his collar, as Malfoy lay curled up on the grass, blood on his robes.

"I'm dying" Malfoy yelled to the class dramatically "I'm dying look at me! It's killed me"

"You're not dying!" said Athena she bent over him "Hagrid you've got to take him to the hospital wing" blood was splattered all over Malfoy's robes and the grass glistened ruby red in a few places.

The busy brown girl ran and opened the gate; Hagrid lifted Malfoy up easily and ran with him up the slope to the castle.

"Right everyone out the paddock" said Athena, the class obeyed "class dismissed"

****

Athena marched herself towards Hagrid's hut later that evening, each footstep released her anger that was built up inside her.

She threw open Hagrid's front door, Hagrid was sat at the table his tanked in front of him sobbing into Ron Weasley and Harry Potter who were short of breath as Hagrid squeezed them.

"I think you've had enough to drink" said Athena she grabbed the tankard and threw the ale inside out the door.

"Ar maybe she's right" said Hagrid who let poor Ron and Harry go they both held their ribs "always looked out for me Athena did"

There was a loud splash as Athena walked back in.

"What's he done?" asked Harry

"Stuck his head in the water barrel" said Athena "your Harry potter"

"Yes" said Harry flatly

"And you two must be" she thought of the list of names in her office that she'd memorised "Ron and Hermione…sorry Mr Weasley and Miss Granger"

"That's us Professor" said Hermione

"When I'm not teaching Hermione please call me Athena" she replied.

Hermione blushed a little from embarrassment "ok" she must have never been told to call a professor by their first name before-apart from Hagrid, but that was his second name anyway.

"That's better" said Hagrid he walked back in beard and hair wet, which he shook like a dog spraying everyone "listen it was good of yeh ter come an' seem me I really-"

Hagrid stopped dead starting at Harry as if he'd only just realised Harry was there.

"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN' EH?" he roared so suddenly they all jumped into the air "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK HARRY! AN' YOU TWO LETTIN' HIM! AND YOU NOT TELLING HIM TO LEAVE SOONER!" Hagrid strode over to Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door

"Athena yer takin' them all back up ter the school an' don' let me catch yeh walking' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that" he shut the door after they left.

"And that's what drinking does to you" said Athena taking out her wand on the safe side "come on you three, let's get you back" she lit her wand tip

"Athena why are you working with Hagrid?" asked Hermione, Ron and Harry shoot her a shut up look.

"It's alright I don't mind saying" smiled Athena "I need the practice and well Dumbledore reckoned that Hagrid would need a little assistance"

"Well you're a good teacher" said Harry brightly

"Thank you" smiled Athena "I was always been good at care of magical creatures"

"Hold on" said Ron suddenly "I know you!"

"Took you long enough" Athena mumbled

"You use to date my brother Charlie" said Ron

Athena nodded "that's me…we only dated for a while until, Charlie went to study dragons"

"I remember him talking about you" said Ron amusingly "a lot" he snorted it was amusing for him to think of romance

Hermione rolled her eyes as they entered the castle "Charlie and I still keep in contact-sometimes"

"He came to Egypt over the holidays with us" said Ron as they stopped at the marble staircase

"Well you three better get going" she said "and Hagrid's right don't risk going out after night to see him" she looked at Harry mostly. The three friends set off up the stairs and then vanished around the corner.

Athena sighed and headed up after them she turned right instead of left and bumped into someone again. There was a loud bang and something fell down the staircase.

She looked down at the bag that had been dropped and the scattered books "oh Merlin sorry, I'm so clumsy" she began to pick up the books as someone joined her

"Ah I was reading and not paying attention again" said that same hoarse voice, Remus Lupin walked past her to collect the books at the bottom of the stairs, she caught the odd sent again.

"We need to stop running into each other" she put the books into the bag that hung over his shoulder, he didn't seem to mind

"Actually I was hoping to bump into you" he said

"I hope that's a figure of speech"

He grinned "of course" he said "no it's just I'll need to bring in some dark creatures for my classes so I was hoping maybe you could help me find them and maybe teach about them with me…you are an assistant of care of magical creatures"

Athena raised her eyebrows "whatever you need I can help find them" she said "the teacher part I'll think about, I'm not the greatest at defence against the dark arts"

He smiled kindly "well the offers there" he said

She nodded her head her curls bouncing around "I'll think about it" she said heading back up the stairs "goodnight"

"Goodnight Miss Grey" he said

She cringed "Athena, please" she corrected

"Athena" he said again

"Professor" she turned

"Remus, please" he called as she reached the top

"Remus" she muttered and headed round the corner towards her living quarters.

****


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two Boggart's and Books**

The little girl sobbed as her bloody hands clutched the bars of the cage; she reached her hand through to the woman on the other side.

"Please, please" she cried "help me!"

She looked behind the beast was coming back, she'd managed to kick the monster in the head as it clamped it jaws around her thigh

The monster growled even more determined, its teeth were red now stained with blood.

The girl couldn't scream the lost of blood and energy had drained her as her vision blurred.

"Please!" she called to the woman "please mother!"

The beast caught her leg again and she twisted to face the woman as it dragged her backwards across the same cold floor.

The girl finally screamed and the woman smiled.

Athena sat up in bed tears streaked her face and sweat dripped down her neck not again.

Professor Snape was in one of his foul moods as he walked up from the dungeon, he'd just had Hufflepuff and Gryffindor first years, first lesson and needed a cup of coffee and his book to calm down before double potions with the third year Gryffindor's and Slytherin's.

He entered the staff room with his book and mug of tea and was heading for his favourite seat, the seat no one else sat in when he saw it. A scruffy purple converse hanging over the arm of his chair. He walked round the chair and looked down at his old student Athena Grey who was reading a book about Boggarts and was twirling one of her blonde curls around her finger.

"I believe you are in my seat" he sneered.

Athena looked up and her old professor she'd always been bad at potions.

"I'm sorry I didn't know this was your seat" she said plainly.

"Kindly move" he jived

"But there's a perfectly good seat over there" she pointed towards the identical armchair opposite

"Then you won't mind moving there" his lip curled

"But I've got a seat" if she'd spoke to Snape like this before he would have murdered her.

McGonagall, Flitwick and Hooch who were sitting at one of the tables in the room were watching closely.

Snape glared down at Athena

"Are going to move?" he spoke through gritted teeth

Athena thought for a moment she couldn't be pushed around anymore she was staff he had to show respect "no" she said.

Snape's lip curled, even more (could that be possible?) he turned on his heel and walked back out the staff room slamming the door behind him. Athena breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well done" she looked up Minerva was speaking to her "I never thought you had it in you to speak to Severus like that"

"I think he's still sore about me taking house points off one of his students" said Athena guiltily

"Which one?" squeaked Filius he sat up straight on his stack of hard back books

"Draco Malfoy" said Athena

"Yes he will be sore for a couple more days" said Minerva matter-of-factly

Athena returned to her book, as the door opened again and Remus Lupin took the armchair opposite her.

"Did you manage to get it?" he asked hands clasped together leaning forward a little in his chair

"It moved in a couple of days ago" smiled Athena she pointed to the wardrobe where the spare robes hung.

"Excellent" he bent his head a little "ah Boggarts and their forms"

Athena looked at her book title "I know a lot about magical creatures and I found this in the library I thought I could read up on them a bit more…haven't faced one in years"

"You don't look like the type of girl to get scared easily" said Remus he leaned back in the chair.

Athena sat up and closed her book

"Only one thing scares me" said Athena truthfully "and it's not pleasant"

McGonagall listened to Athena and Remus's conversation, they seemed to be getting on well, or maybe they didn't know about each other but then again they soon would. She turned round Athena was smiling and talking away, maybe Remus could bring out the best in her, relationships did that to people.

The bell rang

"I've got a class to teach" said Athena "fifth year, bowtruckle's"

"Aren't they harmless and boring?" asked Remus a little amused

"You have no idea how boring" sighed Athena she tossed her book at him "it's worth a read"

He smiled, and looked down at the cover he had a lesson for the next hour.

Athena walked out the staffroom but stopped again she caught that sent again. But with students filling the corridors she'd have to be quick to get to lessons.

Remus flicked through the book he'd already read it but she was a sweet girl so he thought he should accept it, but he had a lesson to get to so he stood up and hurried off.

When he arrived his seventh years were waiting for him, he placed the book on the desk and set them to work on complex dark arts spells.

As the lesson went on and he watched from a safe distance as the class duelled one other, he ran a hand over the book she'd given him and smiled to himself.

Athena waited patiently in the staff room for Remus the wardrobe behind her rattled a little bit and she stepped away she didn't want her Boggart to jump out. The door opened and snape of all the teachers stalked in he must not have a lesson after lunch. Snape didn't even acknowledge that Athena was there he just sat down in the chair she was sat in that morning and began to read.

A few minutes later Remus opened the door and led his class in side, the third year Gryffindor's. Snape looked round now with a nasty sneer on his lips

"Leave it open Lupin I'd rather not witness this" he said getting up and headed towards the open door but stopped and turned on his heel in the doorway "possibly no one's warned you Lupin but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear"

Remus raised his eyebrows, and Athena looked at Neville who had turned scarlet

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation" replied Remus "and I am sure he will perform it admirably"

Neville's face turned even redder. Snape's lip curled as he shut the door with a snap again.

"Now then" said Remus gathering the class forward towards the wardrobe which rattled and banged off the wall "nothing to worry about. There's a Boggart in there" as a few people jumped backwards.

"Boggarts like dark and enclosed spaces" said Remus "wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under the stairs- I once met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in a few days ago thanks to Professor Grey who will be assisting me today, so I asked her before she got rid of it to leave it to give my third-years some practice" he nodded at Athena

"So the first question I'll ask is what a Boggart is?"

Hermione put her hand up first.

"It's a shape shifter" she said "it can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most"

"Couldn't have put it better myself" said Remus and Hermione glowed "so the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone but when I let him out he will immediately become what each of us most fears" he ignored Neville's splutter of terror.

"This means that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin" said Athena "have you spotted it Harry?"

He looked a little shocked to be asked a question "er-because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Precisely" said Remus and Hermione put her hand down looking disappointed "it's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake- tried to frighten two people at once and turned into half a slug. Not remotely frightening" he spoke more to Athena then.

"The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, to a defence against the dark class and there teacher it probably is- yet it requires force of mind. You see the thing that really finishes a Boggart off is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you fund really amusing" said Athena the book had helped and the handy tips from Remus himself.

"We will practise the charm without wands first after me please…riddikulus!" said Remus clearly

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Good" said Remus "very good. But that was the easy part I'm afraid you see the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in Neville"

The wardrobe shook again though not as much as Neville who was shaking as he walked forward.

"Don't worry" said Athena putting a hand on his shoulder "professor Lupin and I are here if you get too scared we'll pull you away" Neville nodded his head to agree.

"Right Neville first things first, what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?" asked Remus

Neville's lips moved but no sound came out

"Didn't catch that Neville sorry" said Remus cheerfully

"Professor Snape" nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned.

"Professor Snape…hmmm…Neville I believe you live with your grandmother?" said Remus

"er-yes" said Neville anxiously "but- I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either"

"No, no you misunderstand me" said Remus now smiling "I wonder could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother wears?"

Neville looked troubled "well…always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress…green normally….and sometimes a fox-fur scarf"

"And a handbag?" asked Athena waving her hand

"A big red one" said Neville

"Right then" said Remus "picture those clothes very clearly in your mind. Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes" said Neville plainly wondering what was coming next.

"when the Boggart bursts out the wardrobe Neville and sees you it will assume the form of professor snape" said Remus "and you will raise your wand-thus- and cry 'Riddikulus'- and concentrate hard on your grandmothers clothes. If all goes well professor Boggart Snape will be forced into the vulture-topped hat, the green dress and the big red handbag"

The class erupted in laughter, the wardrobe wobbled more violently.

"if Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to turn his attention to each of us in turn" said Athena "I would like you all to think what scares you the most and imagine how you might force it to look comical…" the room went quite.

Remus smiled at Athena they both nodded.

"Everyone ready?" asked Remus many of the students nodded and rolled up their sleeves.

"Neville we're going to back away" said Athena "let you have a clear field all right? We'll call the next person forward….everyone back away now so Neville can get a good shot"

The class retreated back against the walls leaving Neville standing alone next to the wardrobe. He was pale but had his sleeves rolled up and wand ready.

"On the count of three Neville" said Remus his wand pointed at the wardrobe "one…two…three…now!" a jet of sparks flew out the end hitting the wardrobe door handle. It burst open and out stepped mean, greasy haired hooked nosed professor snape.

Neville backed away as Snape's eye's flashed at him; he was bearing down over Neville reaching inside his robes.

"Come on Neville" said Athena edgily

"R-r-riddikulus!" squeaked Neville.

There was the sound like a whip-crack and snape stumbled. He was now wearing a green dress with a large hat which on top sat a vulture, and a big crimson handbag was hanging from his hand. There was a roar of laughter and even Remus and Athena had to restrain themselves.

"Parvati! Forward!" she walked forward face set. There was another crack and where snape had once stood now there was a bloodstained mummy. Its sightless face was turned towards Parvati; it began to walk forward dragging one foot slowly.

"Riddikulus!" cried Parvati

The bandages unravelled at the mummy's feet which tangled around its ankles and it fell forward losing its head.

"Seamus!" roared Remus who was stood next to Athena.

Crack! The mummy vanished and had been replaced by a woman with floor length black hair and a green tinged skeleton face.

"A banshee!" gasped Athena she'd never seen one before "it's amazing-" but the banshee opened her mouth wide and screamed and unearthly scream that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

"Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus

The banshee clutched her throat she'd lost her voice.

Crack! The banshee became a rat chasing its tail- crack! It became a snake- crack! A single bloody eyeball.

"It's confused!" shouted Remus "we're getting there! Dean!"

Dean ran forward, the eyeball became a hand crawling across the floor.

"Riddikulus!" yelled Dean, snap! The hand was caught in a mouse trap.

"Excellent! Ron you next!" called Remus.

Ron ran forward crack! A few people screamed as a six foot hairy spider stood before Ron who looked like he'd frozen.

"Riddikulus!" bellowed Ron and the spider's legs vanished. It rolled over and over, lavender brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet. He raised his wand but then Remus hurried forward.

"Here!" he shouted crack! Athena looked round a white orb hung in front of him "Riddikulus!" he said almost lazily.

Crack!

And it was in front of Athena.

The class turned again as a werewolf growled over the top of her. "Riddikulus!" and its teeth fell out. Crack!

"Forward Neville and finish him off!" said Remus as the Boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach, he looked at Athena who had a sickened expression but then she straightened up and smiled at Neville who let out a great "ha!" of laughter and the Boggart exploded into a whips of smoke.

"Excellent!" cried Remus as the class broke into applause "excellent, Neville. Well done everyone. Let me see…five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the Boggart- ten for Neville because he did it twice- and five each to Hermione and Harry"

"But I didn't do anything" said Harry

"You and Hermione answered Professor grey's questions correctly at the start of class Harry" Remus said lightly "very well everyone an excellent lesson. Homework kindly read the chapter on Boggart's and summarise it for me…to be handed in on Monday. That will be all"

The class left talking excitedly.

Athena collapsed into a chair, shakily.

"You did very well" said Remus "you should be my assistant again…the class enjoyed having you"

"I teach all of them for care of magical creatures" said Athena she stood back up and headed for the kettle, which she tapped with her wand "so…"

"So…" repeated Remus "I didn't know you were afraid of werewolves"

"I'm not" said Athena "do you want one?" she indicated the tea

"Please" said Remus sitting down at the table "well the Boggart showed that you were afraid of them"

"I'm afraid of one in particular" the kettle boiled and she tipped the hot water into two cups which both had tea bags in.

"Oh" said Remus as she sat down.

"And what about you?" she asked spooning out her tea bag and levitating it into the bin with her wand "I know it wasn't a crystal ball"

Remus almost chocked on his tea "so I guess it become clear then? I know that some of the staff knew"

"I know the signs" said Athena she sipped her tea and smirked "the last full moon was two days before coming here…so I expect that, you'd be thin, of colour, tired, even bad tempered"

Remus raised an eyebrow "and you'd have shabby clothes that were a bit lose"

"I thought I'd smelt one" admitted Athena "especially when I was around you"

"So you're a werewolf?" said Remus

She nodded her head slowly "and so are you?"

He nodded this time "I thought you might have already known"

She shook her head "remember the staff meeting was on the same night as the full moon…neither of us was there, I'm shocked that Dumbledore didn't tell me"

"Me too" said Remus he sipped his tea "so you're afraid of the werewolf who bit you"

She nodded and sat down "yeah…and you're afraid of the full moon"

He nodded again "well this is different" he muttered

"How so?" she asked flipping her hair back

"Two werewolves drinking tea in a staff room" he held up his mug "to having the same rights as humans"

She smiled and clinked his mug with hers "I'll drink to that"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three- curses and classes**

Harry knew that defence against the dark arts had become everyone's favourite subject; Neville was always talking about Professor Grey a lot of people thought he had a crush on her like Hermione had a small crush on Professor Lupin. Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of slytherin's were the only ones to complain about both the teachers.

"look at their robes" he would sneer as both teachers walked past "they dress like house-elves" but no one cared about the state of their two favourite teachers.

It had only been week after the Boggart in the wardrobe. Athena had her bag over her shoulder two books in one hand and an order form in the other. She was sending out for a redcap which Remus needed for next lesson. He also wanted her to come and teach about them.

As Athena opened her room door with her elbow and dumped her stuff on her messy wooden desk, she spotted a flower, a sun flower standing up against her mirror above the chest of draws. A note was attached to it. She picked up the flower; it was from the green house a sun flower that stayed open even without sun. She opened the note.

Athena

Thanks for the kappa, the class loved it.

Can't wait to see you in class tomorrow, I think Neville is looking forward to having you in defence against the dark arts again.

Let me know when the redcap arrives.

Remus

She smiled and smelt the flower. She looked round for a vase-ah she didn't have one. So she rested the flower back against the mirror and stuck her head out the door. There sat in an alcove in the wall opposite was that blue and white willow pattern vase. She looked up and down no one was there. She picked up the vase and filled it with water from her wand. She put the sunflower inside. She stood it above her fire place, it fitted in here nicely.

Harry Ron and Hermione entered the defence against the dark arts room. Hermione looked up Professor Grey and Professor Lupin were, both stood talking behind his desk.

Lavender and Parvati entered the room both frowning.

"What's wrong?" asked Hermione as they suddenly stopped.

"Professor Grey" said lavender "she-she looks different"

"She looks clean" said Parvati astonished

"That's prejudice that is" said Ron

"No look!" said Lavender, Harry looked up with the other two at professor grey "she's tidied her hair up….she's wearing a clean robe…purple a great colour on her-oh Merlin!"

Harry and Ron's jaws dropped, and Hermione gasped. Professor Grey had walked out from behind the desk and wrote 'redcaps' on the bored. But it was what she was wearing that made everyone astounded…just appearing under her jeans was a pair of purple high heel shows.

"Take your seats class" said Remus as the rest of the Gryffindor's wondered in, a lot of them staring at Athena. She did look nice today. "Professor Grey will be teaching today" he sat down on his desk observing Athena as she smiled to the class.

"Redcaps" she said "redcaps are also now by the names powrie or dunter they're type of goblin, come elf, come fairy, they consist in a lot of muggle folklore" she said "now who can tell me where they are most commonly found?"

Hermione's hand shot up first, but Athena knew that other students needed to be given a chance as well. Seamus Finnegan raised his hand along with Dean Thomas.

"Seamus?" said Athena pointing to him.

"Don't they inhabit castles between England and Scotland" he said

"That's right" beamed Athena "redcaps are suppose to trick travellers into straying into their homes, then they die their hats red with their victims blood" Neville's face screwed up "but that's muggle folklore for you….no redcaps are most likely to trick you into drowning in a swamp and then they'll come back when you're dead…but there are a few simple ways to deal with a redcap…which professor Lupin will now explain"

Remus looked up at her and smiled, he had been watching the way she worked and the way her body moved when she wore high heels.

"Right if you'd like to stand class and move the desk to the side" he said "Professor Grey if you could fetch the redcap"

Athena nodded and headed out the room, she didn't notice that a few pairs of eyes were watching her.

"Professor Lupin" said dean "is Professor Grey going to be teaching us more often?"

"I'm not sure dean" replied Remus "I think she is a great asset to us"

The door opened behind and Athena hurried back in carrying a large cage she placed it on Remus's desk.

The redcap swore several times at her using finger gestures.

"Lovely creatures aren't they?" she said to the class, who laughed.

Remus began to demonstrate how to trick and confuse a redcap, and how not to follow its instructions. Athena stood and watched his body language; he moved his hands a lot when talking or using demonstrations. She loved the way he spoke to the class simple and lightly but praising them when they got questions right or when they asked questions themselves.

"Well that's all for today" said Remus "five points to everyone who got a questions correct and five points if you asked a question"

"And an extra two points to Seamus for answering my question" said Athena the classed left talking happily.

Remus lifted the cage off his desk and onto the floor

"Nice work today" he said "you'd make a very good defence teacher"

"No I wouldn't" said Athena blushing a little "I just know about magical creatures, you do better when it comes to battling them" she tightened the strap on her bag.

"But thanks for your help" said Remus kindly but in a less professional way.

"It's ok" said Athena "thanks for the sun flower…it's really nice"

"Yellow flowers are supposed to cheer people up when the sky is grey" said Remus shrugging he picked up his bag and walked with her to the door.

"What are you doing tomorrow evening?" he asked suddenly

Athena stopped she knew where this was going and this was really bad.

"Um I don't know" she kept her head down

"Well I was wondering" he said she didn't want to look at him "if you wanted to-" he hesitated "talk about next lesson over a drink" he sounded glum and knew that's not what he was going to say

"A teachers meeting?" she asked finally looking up

He nodded

"Great 8 o'clock three broomsticks?" she asked

He nodded "see you then"

She walked away happier it wasn't the fact that he was a nice guy or was older than her it was the fact that she didn't want to ruin their new friendship with her bad luck in dating.

She strolled down the high street towards the three broomstick it had just gone eight; she quickened her pace as the wind blew making her shiver.

She opened the pub door and the heat hit her warming her instantly and making her feel a little numb.

She looked round the room, Remus was sat at one of the booths he waved her over.

She smiled and dropped into the seat opposite him.

"Hello" she said unwrapping her scarf

"Good evening" he said in return "drinks are on me what do you fancy?"

"Err" she thought "a butterbeer is fine"

He nodded and went up to the bar. She observed the way he leant against the bar leaning on his arms, the way he smiled at the barmaid. He was walking back over with the drinks when she snapped out of her trance.

"Thanks" she said smiling taking a bottle and sipping from it the sweet liquid tickled the back of her throat

"So next lesson" said Remus dropping into the seat next to her "I was going to teach about grindylow's"

Athena rolled her eyes "say no more" she said smiling "you want me to get you one"

"Is that possible?" he asked almost worriedly "if you can't I understand"

"Give me a challenge" she sipping her butterbeer again "the only thing I probably wouldn't be able to get you is a dragon" she frowned in thought "actually no, my friend Charlie would probably get me one"

Remus smiled and sipped his own beer "so you went to school with this Charlie?"

She nodded her head "yep Charlie Weasley was one of my best friends" she smiled "so was Nymphadora Tonks"

"I use to know her" said Remus he tipped his bottle of butterbeer from one side to the other "she was four I think when I last saw her, she was a friend of mines cousin I believe"

Athena nodded her head slowly "who was you're friend?" she asked

Remus's expression change suddenly "you really don't want to know" he said

Athena frowned taken back more like he didn't want to say

"You don't have to tell me" she said kindly "it's a teacher meeting after all"

He smiled softly "I only said that so you'd come for a drink"

Her face was expressionless when he looked up "you should have just told me the truth"

"I know" he said clasping his hands together "but you wouldn't have come them"

"If you had just said as friends then I would have" she downed the rest of her drink

"Well then maybe you would like to go out on a proper date next weeken-"

She didn't allow him to finish "I don't date" she stood "thank you for the drink, please don't lie to me in the future" she walked from the pub.

He followed the second the door closed as he reached the cobbled street she was only a little way ahead

"Athena!" he called running after her

She turned sighing stopping in the street "yes?" she asked

"I'm sorry" he said pathetically there was nothing else he could say "I really am, maybe we don't need to go on a date maybe we could just go out? Just together?"

She almost smiled almost but not quiet he come up with a clever idea to get around her excuse "maybe" she said and his face lit up "we'll see just don't push it" she waved a suppose to be threatening finger he almost broke into laughing again as they both walked up towards the castle gates.

"So can I suggest we go out together for a meal?" he said as they reached the front door to the castle

She hesitated, thinking but also not thinking, he went to speak opening his mouth looking guilty "ok" she said holding up a hand "we can go out for dinner"

He smiled at her and opened the door

The metal scraped across the stone floor again as the moonlight drifted away from the window. The girl lay withering in agony on the floor in her own blood.

The locked clicked and the girl felt the scratches on her body been healed, the side her thigh was numb she couldn't feel that anymore as a potion was forced down her throat.

The poison was coursing through her body causing her heart to accelerate quicker and quicker.

She was suddenly lifted off the ground and was in someone arms she knew but she didn't want to be in those arms.

She was placed gently on her bed and the women hurriedly left the room.

The girl looked up at the mirror which showed her lying on the bed shaking with sweat and tears, the blood oozing from her side, or what was left of it.

She hesitated outside the door hand raised to knock she closed her eyes took and deep breath and knocked three times.

"Come in" called a voice

The feeling of walking into this office was quite strange it was like been a school child again

"Can I talk to you?" asked Athena

Minerva looked up over her glasses "what have you done now?" she asked

"Honestly" Athena sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk "nothing"

Minerva raised an eyebrow "then why are you here?" she set the quill she was using down and folded her arms gently on the desk

"You've heard that Remus is taken me out for dinner tomorrow" said Athena nervously "and I have no idea on how I'm suppose to act, talk, walk or wear"

Minerva almost looked sad, almost but there was that touch of excitement there too "I'm sure, Poppy, Pomona and I will be more than willing to help you"

Athena smiled "thank you" she said happily "it means a lot"

"Now do you have a dress?" asked Minerva

"Er-" Athena thought for a moment "yes I do, but its rather fancy" she cringed at the idea of wearing it

"Then it'll do perfectly" said Minerva already guessing that was why Athena cringed "now let's go find Poppy and see what we can do about your hair" she stood and led Athena to the door

"What about my hair?" asked Athena worriedly regretting asking for help?

"Well, let's just see what we can do about it" replied Minerva as the office door closed.

He waited anxiously in the entrance hall dinner was still in progress so the students wouldn't have to witness this as he stood there wearing a new shirt and his slightly less scruffy jacket and trousers.

Quiet voices echoed from the top of the stairs a group of students walked past giggling looking over their shoulder

"Away with you" scolded a stern voice; Minerva appeared at the top of the stairs followed by Poppy and Pomona who were both grinning from ear to ear.

"You look very handsome Remus" said Minerva, she held out an arm and peered to her right, Poppy and Pomona glared in the same direction

Minerva lowered her hand and stormed towards the direction she had her arm held out to. She appeared dragging roughly Athena by the arm.

Remus froze on the spot Athena looked beautiful, she wore a red dress that came just above her knees, on her feet were satin red shoes that matched her dress, her hair was in neater curls they were sleek and shinny.

She was cringing at her feet as she walked down the stairs followed by Minerva and Poppy

"Hi…" she whispered to him not looking at his face he saw her cheeks flare red as he looked her over accidently not been able to control his eyes. "Can we go please?"

Minerva frowned "try to enjoy yourself" she gently pushed Athena forward who almost stumbled in her shoes; she threw a disgusted look at her feet and glared at Minerva.

Remus took her arm and laced it with his "you look very nice" he commented, maybe it would be safe to keep hold of her arm

She blushed "I've never worn this dress or shoes before" her voice was filled with horror "my mum bought me this dress and I've never worn it…" she mumbled on a bit more

"I need to thank Minerva" said Remus as they approached the gate

"Why?" asked Athena her eyebrows furrowed

"Because you look breath taking" he said and she blushed even deeper.

The air turned colder as they approached the gate two death eaters emerged from the shadows

"Stand aside" said Remus he held up his hands "I am Professor Remus John Lupin I have permission from Albus Dumbledore to pass"

"I am Professor Athena Emily Grey" said Athena "I also have permission from Albus Dumbledore to pass"

The dementors shrunk back as the gate opened and Remus and Athena passed through.

Remus led Athena down through Hogsemead high street past the shops whose window displays were lit up brightly in the dark street.

They passed the three broomsticks and the post office and headed out to the outskirts of the village.

"Where are we going?" asked Athena peering round the darkness had gotten stronger as they had passed by the shops

"to the restaurant" he said taking a left towards a street lamp they walked past a couple of old houses until they reached a small red door the was lit up, on the door was written.

The Four Founders

He sounded like the name a pub but as they entered the sweet aroma of fine cooked food flooded the air. The restaurant was decorated with the four houses of Hogwarts, red, green, blue and a dark yellow so that colours toned in with each other.

Remus approached the podium that had the Hogwarts coat of arms on "er-it's under Lupin" he said

The man looked up he had sleek smoothed down black hair and a turned up moustache "right this way" he said drearily he jumped off the small stool he was standing on and came to the same height as Professor Flitwick as he led them to the table set in the window.

Remus held the chair out for Athena a she gracefully as possible sat down "thank you" she said as he took his own seat across from her

"No thank you" he said she gave him a puzzled look "I'm just happy you came tonight"

She smiled and looked down at the menu on her plate; this was one fancy and expensive restaurant, this was the type of place where students couldn't afford to go unless they were rich.

"Don't worry about the price" whispered Remus across the table his brown eyes glistened in the candle light "we get our meals half price here"

Athena couldn't help but laugh and roll her eyes well no wonder he wanted her to come out with him.

Their hands were entwined on the soft red table cloth; she was smiling for what felt like a life time of smiles as soft jazz music played in the background she couldn't be in a more, happier place than this.

The song that was playing softly was L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole and somehow she found herself enjoying having the song in the background as they talked happily together.

They walked back up to the castle hand in hand talking quietly again and giving each other small glances and sweet smiles.

Remus walked Athena back to her room they stopped outside the door. Athena had her shoes in her hand now she's gotten sick of the high heels half away up the marble staircase.

"Thank you Remus" she said he never noticed how blue her eyes were in the dark "I had a really nice time"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it" he reached down and gently kissed her cheek, he then turned around and headed down the hallway.

Athena watched him walk away what the hell? She thought as she called out his name, he stopped. She looked up into his brown eyes and kissed him tenderly on the lips "goodnight" she hurried back to the door and quickly without looking at his face hurried inside.

Remus waited until the door closed he let out a low whistle "I've got style…" he had a new spring in his step as he walked towards his own quarters.

She was left on her bed her leg wrapped up in the bandages she wanted to die she didn't want to be there she wanted to die, she kept pleading and pleading let me die.

The door was pushed open; she shut her eyes and peered gently under her eyes lashes a man and a woman stood in the doorway. The man leaned against the door frame arms crossed his face was set in an angry sneer.

"She's doing well" whispered the women "better than the others"

The man turned his face to the woman she flinched like he'd hit her "she'd better get well soon" his voice was like pure drool the way he spoke "she's needed" and he stalked away as the woman shut the door

The girl opened her eyes her leg was bleeding again she really prayed to die now.

Athena sat in the staff room the day of Halloween she was having a spot of tea with Minerva, she'd had another restless night

"So I heard about Sybill's latest death prediction" said Athena she sipped her tea.

"Poor Potter" said Minerva she took a ginger newt off the tea saucer of bisects "that boy has enough to worry about without Sybill predicting his death"

"Who's predicting whose death?" said a voice Athena looked up to see Remus standing over them he pulled up a chair and helped himself to a cup of tea as well.

"Sybill she predicted the grim in Harry's tea leaves" said Athena

"Ah-well at least she's trying to act like a teacher" he said slowly his foot tapped her ankle gently

"True" said Athena trying not to smile as he rubbed her ankle "oh the Grindylow arrived this morning"

"Oh great" said Remus he smiled at her and she smiled back "do you mind bringing him up to my office?"

"Not at all" said Athena pulling her foot away from his "I'll go down and get him out of the water now"

"Out of the water?" said Minerva curiously

"Enchanted bubble trap" said Athena she took the last ginger newt that Remus was reaching for "very useful" she teased

She headed out the door.

Remus sighed "she's very dedicated"

"She always was" said Minerva "she reminded me a lot of you when she was in my house. Smart girl but got into trouble easily"

"Maybe that's why I like her" said Remus "she reminds me a lot of me when I was younger"

"You be careful you don't hurt her though" said Minerva seriously "she's had more trouble than you in her past" she stood up and headed out the door "I have students to check off for Hogsemead"

Athena held her wand in front of her the hallways were crowded with students as they headed down to the entrance hall to be signed off the list for Hogsemead.

"Excuse me coming through!" she called ahead as students moved aside "Move aside please!"

A group of boys moved against the walls as the giant floating water bubble floated ahead; inside the bubble the Grindylow pulled faces at passing students.

"Wow" said a fourth year his eyes goggling at the bubble.

The students in the corridor muttered to each other as Athena and the bubble trapped Grindylow headed towards Remus's office.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in" called Remus he stood up from his desk as Athena entered the room.

"Got the tank ready?" she asked her wand pointing out the door.

"Yeah, it's just over here" said Remus he removed the lid of the tank as Athena swung her wand round he ducked as a water filled bubble flew through the air and landed in the tank with a splash.

"One Grindylow" she puffed stowing her wand away.

"Cup of tea?" suggested Remus

"Can't" said Athena though she sat down "I've just taking some potion"

"I understand" said Remus taking a seat as well "what are you doing for the full moon?"

Athena raised an eyebrow "I'll be in my room"

"Oh" said Remus frowning "same here"

Athena nodded why was he frowning?

"So you'll be recovering in the hospital then?"

"Yeah, just like old times…I take it you're not then?"

"That's correct, I prefer to tend to myself" he had an odd expression.

Someone walked past the open door.

"Harry?" said Remus he stood up and looked out the door. Athena stood up as Harry entered the room

"Ah" said Remus he considered Harry for a moment. Harry looked at Athena "I've just taken a delivery of a Grindylow from Professor Grey for our next lesson"

"A what?" said Harry look at the tank.

"A water demon" said Remus surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully, Athena watched the way he touched his jaw "we shouldn't have much difficulty with him not after the Kappa's. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong but very brittle"

Athena cleared her throat "I best be going" she walked backwards towards the door "I'll see you both at the feast tonight?" they both nodded "Bye Harry" she said turning for the door "Bye Remus"

And she was gone.

"Professor Lupin" said Harry "are you and Professor Grey dating?"

Remus looked down at Harry puzzled "what makes you think that?"

"It's just you went out together last week" said Harry shrugging

"I don't know Harry" said Remus thoughtfully "she's a nice young lady she just enjoys spending time with a fellow teacher"

"It's just she's always dressed up when she teachers with you"

Remus considered the matter "I'll ask her next time I see her, shall I?"

"I didn't mean to be nosy" said Harry quickly "it's just Hermione kept saying you two were dating and Ron said you weren't so I thought I'd ask"

"I don't mind you asking" said Remus he looked round "cup of tea? I was just thinking of making one"

That night at the Halloween feast Remus pondered the idea about him and Athena, he spoke quietly to Filius.

"Hhmmm" contemplated Filius "you should speak to her"

"When do you think I should do that?" asked Remus

"When you think the time is right" said Filius firmly "when you feel that you can't wait any longer then you should ask her"

"How do know is she feels the same way back?" asked Remus he was taking advice from someone much older and shorter than him.

"She will be the one who won't stop smiling when she sees you"

"I've never been very good at this Minerva" said Athena hopelessly "how do you know if a guy likes you?"

"He does everything in his power to make you smile" said Minerva the voice of experience "has he sent you flowers at all?"

"A sun flower" said Athena "to brighten a grey day away"

"and he's asking you for help, men don't ask for help a lot" she said sipping her wine "he wants you to be around him even if he doesn't know it yet"

Athena nodded "thanks, Minerva I owe more than two favours now, more like seventy"

"Eighty four" said Minerva matter-of-factly

"What?" chocked Athena covering her mouth

"You have asked my help eight four times"

"You've kept count all these years?"

"Yes, you were a special student" said Minerva she cracked a smile "even though sometimes I can't stand you"

"I feel offended" joked Athena.

The Halloween feast ended Athena was heading out the great hall with the rest of the teachers when a portrait stopped Dumbledore

"Headmaster there is an emergency at Gryffindor tower"

Dumbledore took off down the corridor slipping through a secret passageway.

Athena looked round at Remus they followed Snape and Minerva down the corridor and through the secret passageway

When they arrived at the hallway of the fat lady Athena gasped the fat lady's painting had been slashed apart

"We need to find her" said Dumbledore "professor McGonagall please go find Mr Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the fat lady"

"You'll be lucky!" cackled a voice. It was Peeves bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted.

"What do you mean Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly and Peeve's grin faded he would never taunt Dumbledore.

"Ashamed your headship sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor sir dodging between trees. Crying something dreadful" he said happily "poor thing" he added unconvincingly

"Did she say who did it?" asked Dumbledore quietly

"Oh yes professorhead" said Peeves with the air of dropping a large bomb "he got very angry when she wouldn't let him in you see" Peeves flipped over in the air "nasty temper he's got that Sirius Black"

As soon as Peeves broke the news of Sirius Black all the Gryffindor students were sent back to the great hall and were joined ten minutes later by Hufflepuff Ravenclaw and Slytherin who all looked extremely confused.

Remus and Athena stood either side of Dumbledore with the head boy and girl, while Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick shut the doors.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle" said Professor Dumbledore to the students "I'm afraid that for your own safety you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving our head boy and girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately" he added to Percy Weasley "send word with one of the ghosts"

Athena and the other teachers backed out of the great hall as Dumbledore conjured up purple sleeping bags for the students. The doors were locked behind them.

"Severus, search the dungeons, Filius search the towers and the owlery, Minerva Athena and Remus fourth floor and upwards. Pomona and Poppy second and first floors and the hospital wing. All teachers need to search their quarters as well encase he entered by Floo powder. Every hour one teacher needs to check on the students."

All the teachers nodded and set off to their search areas.

Athena walked down the corridor her wand raised she checked every secret passageway in her section, her quarters and the empty classrooms. But footsteps echoed in the distance, she pressed her back against the wall and raised her wand to eye level. The footsteps kept coming they weren't fast but they weren't slow either, she couldn't pick up a sent she was up wind.

A shadow appeared around the corner, it was a man, he stepped out-

"Stupefy" she cried, the red jet of light soared towards the figure, he ducked and the spell hit the wall and dissolved,

"Athena it's me" said Remus holding up his hands.

"Sorry" said Athena worriedly "I thought you were Sirius Black"

"Lucky I wasn't you would have got me if I hadn't smelt you first" said Remus he leaned against the wall next to her.

"I hate this" said Athena searching his face a little "Hogwarts doesn't feel safe now, anyone could get in" she shuddered

Remus touched her shoulder she didn't shrug his hand away

"He's probably gone by now he wouldn't hang round this long"

"You speak like you know him" said Athena she rested her hand over his

"I did once" said Remus sadly "well I thought I did"

"We all think we know people and then they turn out to be something you don't expect"

"Voice of experience?"

"Voice of many"

She turned to face him; his face was filled with concern

"Can I ask you something?" he said

"Sure" she shrugged lightly

"Are we dating?"

"We said we weren't going to date" Athena thought for a moment

Remus's face fell slightly "can we?"

"No" said Athena

"Why not?" he said his forehead creased

"Because every time I date someone the relationship always falls apart" she looked up at him her wand light reflected her eyes "and I don't want this one to"

"Ok so we still won't date" said Remus simply

"Ok but how can we not date though? I really just want our first date to be something special for us where I won't be worried that the relationship will fall apart"

"We have intellectual meetings, until you decide it's a date and we have romantic affairs during are intellectual meetings"

Athena couldn't help but laugh she rested her head against his chest.

"Ok I agree to that" she looked up at his smiling face

"Ok, so I'm thinking intellectual meeting a week on Wednesday…privet picnic sound good to you?" he said standing up straight now

"Sounds great" she looked at his watch on his wrist midnight "it's my turn to check on the students"

Remus nodded his head "I better get back to searching"

She began to walk away when he took her hand; he spun around and kissed just like she kissed him the night they came back from dinner. Her hand touched his face while he wrapped his arms around her waist as they deepened the kiss.

Athena pulled away "see you later" she smiled

"Bye" he whispered as she walked away "by the way when we went to dinner was that a date?"

"No" she called back quietly "it was just dinner"

He smiled and headed back the way he came.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four dementors and demons **

It was the first full moon and Athena couldn't help be scared frightened terrified and every other word to describe her anxiety.

She'd taken her potion all week as had Remus and now she was waiting for the moon light once it hit her body she would change and there would be no stopping it. The sun had set about two hours ago and the hour was reaching almost nine as finally the moon appeared over the top of the forest.

She stood as the light fell through the window and slowly spread up to her feet and onto her body finally her face.

She froze as she felt the change.

She was unclothed and for good reason

Her heart rate picked up her pupils changed colour. Her breath quickened as her body began to change.

She snarled from the pain as her head lengthened and her body. Her shoulders were hunching, hair sprouting on her body her hands began to curl up in to clawed paws.

The fire that burnt through her bones was agony.

She'd never felt the transformation complete she'd always black out half away through the transformation but what she saw when she looked down shocked her, she was a monster. But she could think. She knew her surroundings and she remembered everything she was a harmless wolf.

She curled up in front of the fire too big to lie on the silly single bed as she lay down the books and papers on the desk fell over as her tail swept them off. She rolled her eyes.

Her shoulder knocked the fire instruments down as she settled herself on the rug curling up and going to sleep.

Athena transformed back around six in the morning she pulled on her shorts and t-shirt she usually slept in and unlocked the door and taking down the silencing charms.

She was limping again the transformation had hurt and she always limped for a while after her changes it was where her bite mark was.

She rounded the corner almost sleepily but winching with every step she took. Poppy was rushing towards her room she spotted Athena and her lips twisted.

"Athena!" she scolded taking her arm and putting around her shoulder "you should have stayed in your room"

"I'm fine…" mumbled Athena as they walked towards the hospital wing it felt like the old days accept Athena was usually bleeding.

Athena soon lay in bed with chocolate been forced into her mouth. Snape entered the ward.

"How is she?" he sneered at Poppy

"I'm fine" said Athena bitterly why didn't he just ask her that simple question?

"She's fine as she said, I've haven't given her pain relief she seems to be over the worse and I've given her chocolate to build up her energy but she's doing well" said Poppy

"Any word from Lupin?" asked Snape he looked down at Athena who was curled up with the covers up to her chin

"If he was in trouble he would have come down here by now" said Poppy seriously "now out my patient needs her rest"

Snape strode from the ward.

The Thursday before the Quidditch match, Harry was running late for lessons, he skidded into the defence against the darks arts room.

"Sorry I'm late Professor Lupin I-" but it wasn't professor Lupin looking up from the teachers desk was snape.

"This lesson began ten minutes ago potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down"

Harry didn't move "where's professor Lupin?"

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today" said snape with a twisted smile "I believe I told you to sit down"

Harry stayed where he was "what's wrong with him?"

"Nothing life-threatening" he looked wishful though "five more points from Gryffindor and if I have to ask you again to sit down it will be fifty"

Harry walked slowly to his seat and sat down.

"Where's Professor Grey?" asked Lavender "she teaches us sometimes"

"Professor Grey is not a defence against the dark arts teacher, she has merely just been assisting professor Lupin" said snape "but unfortunately she is also ill today and cannot teach"

Harry wondered what was wrong with her.

"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far-"

"Please sir we've done Boggart's, red caps, Kappa's, and Grindylow's" said Hermione quickly "and we're just about to start-"

"Be quiet" said snape coldly "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on professor Lupin's lack of organisation"

"He's the best defence against the dark arts teacher we've ever had" said Dean boldly

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly over-taxing you- I would expect first years to be able to deal with red caps and grindylow's. Today we shall discuss-" he flipped to the very back of the book to the chapter the calls had obviously not covered "-werewolves"

"But sir" said Hermione unable to restrain herself "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to hinkypunks-"

"Miss Granger" said snape in a deadly calm voice "I was under the impression that I was taking the lesson not you. And I am telling you to turn to page three hundred and ninety-four" he glanced around "All of you! Now!"

The class opened their books with bitter side looks and muttering.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said snape.

Everyone sat in motionless silence. Everyone except Hermione, whose hand was in the air.

"Anyone?" snap looked round ignoring Hermione. He smiled a twisted "are you telling me professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between-"

"We told you" said Parvati suddenly "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on-"

"Silence!" snarled snape "well, well, well I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognise a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are…"

"Please sir" said Hermione who's hand was still in the air "the werewolf differs from the true in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf-"

"This is the second time you have spoke you out of term miss granger. Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all" said snape coolly

Hermione went very red and put her hand down she stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. It was a mark of how much the class hated snape as they glared at him, every one of them could call Hermione a know-it-all, and Ron called her one every day, but no one else.

"You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?" said Ron loudly

The class knew Ron had gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly as the class held their breath.

"Detention Weasley" said snape silkily "and if I ever here you criticise the way I teach class again you will be very sorry"

No one made a sound after that. Snape spent the rest of the lesson walking up and now the rows of desk examining the work they had been doing with professor Lupin. Every time snape picked up a book he'd criticise their work.

When they bell rang Harry and Hermione waited outside the door for Ron. When Ron emerged his was pretty angry.

"D'you know what that up tight greasy ferret is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bed pans in the hospital wing. Without magic!" he was breathing fast "why couldn't black have hidden in Snape's office eh? He could have finished him off for us!"

"Ron!" said Hermione shocked

"What's he got against Lupin anyway? Do you think it's something to do with that Boggart?"

"I don't know" said Hermione "but I hope professor Lupin gets well soon and professor grey….two rolls of parchment, even I think that's harsh"

Ron and Harry shared a grin

"Oh by the way when you two were in Hogsemead I spoke with Lupin" said Harry

"And?" said Hermione curiously

"He says he's not sure if he dating professor grey or not" said Harry

"How can you not know if your dating someone" said Hermione funnily "some people…"

Athena sat up eating slowly she'd lost a lot of weight again, so she needed to build up her strength, she heard the doors open down the ward and madam Pomfrey rushed out from behind her Athena's curtain to accept the new arrival, Quidditch match thought Athena someone must have been struck by lightning as it flashed outside the windows.

"What's happened?" asked Poppy

"Dementors hundreds of them, he fell over fifty feet" it was Albus's voice

"Good heavens…" squeaked Poppy

Athena got out of bed to see what was going, she walked round the curtain and spotted Harry lying on the bed opposite, he was wearing his Quidditch uniform.

"Athena" said Albus "you're looking well he said"

"Athena!" shrieked Poppy "if you want to teach on Monday, then you better get back to bed!"

"Poppy calm down, I just wanted to see what was happening" said Athena she turned to Dumbledore "dementors in the grounds?"

"Yes I must go speak with the minister excuse me ladies" and with a swish of his cloak he hurried down the ward.

"Bed now!" snapped Poppy

Athena heaved a heavy sigh and feeling dizzy and tired walked slowly back to her bed.

Athena was back to teaching by Monday she was enjoyed teaching and well was happy to see the look on her fifth years faces when she showed them some more interesting creatures while Hagrid watched from the sidelines.

After lunch she had a free period and waited for the bell to ring before heading out to the defence against the dark arts room, she'd left the Hinkypunk for Remus this morning and decided to pick it up after his lesson so they could talk about Wednesday.

She opened the door and Harry was on the other side leaving the room.

"Sorry" he said "oh Hi Athena"

"Hello Harry" she beamed, Harry noticed that she looked thinner and had deep circles under eyes "I've just come to check on the Hinkypunk"

"Come right in Athena" said Remus he was leaning against his desk with his legs crossed over

"Bye professor" said Harry as he vanished through the door.

Athena walked towards Remus who smiled at her and stood up.

"How did it go?" she asked him

"It went alright" he said he looked as pale as her "it hurt though"

"It hurt me too" she said "more than I was use to but, it was nice been able to know what I was doing"

He took her hand and pulled her into him "I know what you went through" he said softly "are we all set for Wednesday then?"

"Yep, where should I meet you?" she asked

"My office" he said picking up his briefcase

"Ok half five?" he nodded as she picked up the glass tank

"Sure you alright with that?" he asked concerned

"Fine" she said "just get the door"

A smirk played on his lips as he opened the door for her.

Athena headed down to Remus's office at twenty past five she arrived on time and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" called Remus

"Who'd do you think?" she laughed as the door opened.

Remus looked down at her; he stepped out the way and allowed her in "your picnic madam" Athena looked round the fire was blazing away and set out in front of it was a picnic basket and a rug.

Athena laughed

"Very nice" she commented

"I thought you'd like it" he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

"We can make out later" she said as he tried to kiss her again "I'm hungry"

"Well we have sandwiches and pumpkin juice and…." He rubbed the back of his neck "whatever the house elves pack"

"Right…" said Athena she began to unpack the basket "sandwiches, fruit, salad, chocolate, and pumpkin juice…and….pie"

"Pie?" said Remus clearly amused "what kind of pie?"

"beef" said Athena sniffing the pastry "they go too far sometimes" she repacked the pie and took a sandwich, Remus sat down next to her on the floor, and helped himself to some sandwiches.

"It seriously turned purple?" laughed Athena

"Yes" laughed Remus "Severus was mad for weeks"

"No wonder he doesn't like you" said Athena "turning his skin purple you must have done something really terrible though he couldn't have hated you just for that? Was it that bad, the things you did?" Remus's face fell a little at those words

"He thinks so" said Remus he'd stopped laughing

"Touchy subject?" she tilted her head to look at him, the fire illuminated his grey hairs

"You could say that" he said faintly "you'll find out one day, knowing Severus"

Athena nodded "so how many other women have there been before me? Just encase I have to beat them off with a stick"

Remus laughed again "only two" he said

"Ah, am I allowed to know what happened to them?"

He considered the matter while looking at her; she seemed to want to talk openly.

"Well I didn't date anyone until after the war really" she didn't ask why, but allowed him to carry on "it was hard during school to have a girlfriend, especially with my friends but the first girl was really nice, until she went abroad for two months on business with her sister, she came back with another man"

"Did you ever tell her?" he knew what she meant

"Yes" he said flatly "that's why she went away"

"And the second girl?"

"She didn't last long, I worked with her and when I told her about my condition" a shiver ran through his body "she told my boss and I was fired"

"I know what that feels like" she said touching his hand

"What about you then?" he asked turning her.

"Three guys" she said he raised his eyebrows "the first didn't even make it past the first date" she sighed "it was set up by my dad and well at the time I was unwell and the guy was a complete creep"

Remus nodded

"The second guy was Charlie Weasley, he was one of my best friends, and we spent two very happy years together until he went off to study dragons"

"Did it hurt you when he left?" asked Remus

Athena didn't mind the question "no" she said "we both knew that it was the end of our relationship, he went his way I went mine, I didn't even cry when he left"

"And the last guy?"

"That one didn't make it past the first date either, it was last year when I worked in Newcastle in a wizard shop, I told him why I took time off during the month and he told my boss, who already knew and had hired me-there should be more people like that in the world- but the guy told the other workers so I was forced to quit"

"So that's why you don't go on dates?" said Remus in thought

"Even with Charlie I didn't" she said smiling "and it turned out well"

"Not one date?"

"Nope we always went out as a group" she said pleasantly "me and Charlie, Bill and Nymphadora"

"You ever think you'll get over you're bad luck in first dates?" he asked

She smiled and shrugged her shoulder "next question"

Remus smiled "what's your family like?"

She frowned "that's my touchy subject"

"You don't have to tell me everything" he said waving his hand "how about just where you come from and what they're like"

"I was born in the Yorkshire dales, you know the other side of the moors?" he nodded "I had two older brothers a mum and a dad"

"Had two brothers?" enquired Remus

"They died" her eyes sparkled in the fire light

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't say that, I hate it when people say _I'm sorry they're dead_. They didn't dissever die the way they did" she looked at her hands "my mum and dad didn't really care about us anyway"

"Never liked your parents then?"

"Not one bit, my mum was fine for one year when my dad wasn't with us, but then he came back and the rest is history" she looked at him "what about your family?"

"Only child" he said "my mum passed away when I was twenty three my dad followed a year later, they were nice enough people very caring"

"Where were you born?"

"Other side of Yorkshire the moor side"

"The werewolf side" he nodded in agreement "do you know the werewolf who bit you?"

He looked taken back "yes" he said "I always thought that the werewolf who bit me must have had it really bad. I always thought that he didn't mean to and that he lost control" his gaze hardened he actually looked scary "until I discovered the man, Fenrir Greyback bite them young and raise them from the parents so they hate wizards"

Athena bit her lip "I've heard of him" she said "I've heard a lot about him apparently he craves human flesh now"

Remus nodded "I'm an outcast to the werewolves you know"

"What do you think I am their mascot?" she joked, he laughed

"Do you know the werewolf who bit you?"

"No" she lied and he didn't know "I just remember been very scared"

"I remember that too" he scratched his chin that had a little bit of stubble on "I was only four when I was bitten"

"I was sixteen"

Remus frowned "that was only what a few years ago?"

"Four years ago" she sat up "I still have the nightmares"

He sat up next to her and wrapped an arm around her she rested her head against his chest; she looked vulnerable as she lay against him.

"I was thinking about the next full moon" she said softly against his chest

"So was I" he replied "I wanted to know if you wanted to try coming here I heard about you trouble in your little room"

"I'd like that" she said "but I feel like I'm intruding-"

"I'd like you to come" he said as she looked up "it'll keep me company and I'll be happy to have you" that reminded her of what Minerva had said "Plus you'd have someone to cuddle with when you change back"

"Ok" she replied

He looked back down and kissed her, this girl was amazing to him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five- evils and enlightenment **

Two weeks before Christmas Athena found herself been dragged to Hogsemead by Hagrid she entered the three broomsticks after Minerva and Filius. Hagrid and the minister of magic followed after her as they took a seat near the Christmas tree in the back of the pub.

Rosmerta walked over carrying drinks.

"A small gillywater-"

"Mine" said Minerva

"Four pints of mulled mead-"

"Ta, Rosmerta" said Hagrid accepting his large tankard

"A cherry syrup and soda ice cream and umbrella-"

"Mmm!" said Filius smacking his lips

"One butterbeer-"

"Mine thanks" said Athena accepting her drink.

"So you'll be the red current rum, minister"

"Thank you Rosmerta, m'dear" said fudge "lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us…"

"Well thank you very much minister" she walked away and returned with a drink herself "so what brings you to this neck of the woods minister?" asked Rosmerta

Fudge turned round to check that no one was listening "what else m'dear but Sirius black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school on Halloween?"

"I did hear a rumour" admitted Rosmerta

"Did you tell the whole pub Hagrid?" said Minerva exasperatedly

"Do you think black's still in the area minister?" whispered Rosmerta

"I'm sure of it" said fudge shortly

"You know the dementors have searched my pub twice?" Rosmerta had a slight edge in her voice "scared all my customers away…it's very bad for business minister"

"Rosmerta m'dear I don't like them any more that you do" said fudge uncomfortably "necessary precaution…unfortunate but there you are…I've just met some of them. They're in a fury with Dumbledore- he won't let them inside the castle grounds"

"I should think not!" said Athena sharply "how are we suppose to teach" she indicated herself and the other teachers"- with those horrors around?"

"Hear, hear!" squeaked Filius

"All the same" protested Fudge "they are here to protect you all from something much worse…we all know what black's capable of…"

"do you know I still have trouble believing it" said Rosmerta thoughtfully "of all the people to go over to the dark side, Sirius black was the last I'd thought…I mean I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become I'd have said you'd had too much mead"

"You don't know the half of it" said fudge gruffly "the worst he did isn't widely known"

"The worst?" said Athena shocked "worse than killing all those people you mean?"

"I certainly do" said fudge

"I can't believe that. What could possibly worse?" said Rosmerta her voice full of curiosity

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts Rosmerta" murmured Minerva "do you remember who his best friend was?"

"Naturally" said Rosmerta with a small laugh "never saw one without the other did you? The number of times I had them in here- ooh they used to make me laugh. Quiet the double act Sirius black and James potter!"

There was the sound of someone dropping their drink a couple of tables away.

"Precisely" said Minerva "black and potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright of course- exceptionally bright in fact-but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers-"

"I dunno" chuckled Hagrid "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money"

"You'd have thought black and potter were brothers!" chimed Filius "inseparable!"

"Of course they were" said fudge "potter trusted black beyond all his friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him"

"Because black turned out to be in league with you-know-who?" whispered Rosmerta

"Worse even than that m'dear…" fudge dropped his voice "not many people are aware of that the potters knew you-know-who was after them. Dumbledore who was of course working tirelessly against you-know-who had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off and he alerted James and lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well of course you-know-who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the fidelius charm"

"How does that work?" said Rosmerta breathless with interest.

Filius cleared his throat "an immensely complex spell" he said squeakily "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or secret-keeper and is henceforth impossible to find- unless of course the secret-keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the secret-keeper refused to speak, you-know-who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting-room window!"

"So black was the potter's secret-keeper?" asked Athena

"Naturally" said Minerva "James potter told Dumbledore that black would die rather than tell where they were, that black was planning to go into hiding himself…and yet Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the potter's secret keeper himself"

"He suspected black?" gasped Rosmerta

"He was sure that somebody close to the potters had been keeping you-know-who informed of their movements" said Minerva "indeed he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to you-know-who"

"But James potter insisted in using black?" said Athena

"He did" said fudge heavily "and then barley a week after the fidelius charm had been performed-"

"Black betrayed them?" breathed Rosmerta

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role he was ready to declare his support openly for you-know-who and he seemed to have planned this for the moment of the potter's death. But as we all know you-know-who met his downfall in little Harry potter. Powers gone horribly weakened he fled. And this left black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, black had shown his true colours as a traitor he had no choice but to run for it-"

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said so loudly that the bar went quiet

"Ssh!" said Minerva

"I met him!" growled Hagrid "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily and James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead an' his parents dead… an' Sirius black turns up on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's secret-keeper. Thought he'd just heard the news o' you-know-who's attach an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin' he was. An' yeh know what I did? COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared

"Hagrid, please!" said Athena "keep your voice down!"

"how was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was you-know-who he cared about! An then he says 'give Harry ter me Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him-' ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore an' I told black no Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won' need it any more' he says"

"I should know there was something fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the potter's secret-keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night knew it was a matter o' hours before the ministry was after him.

"But what if I'd given Harry to him eh? I bet he've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friend's son! But when a wizard goes over ter the dark side there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em anymore…"

A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Rosmerta said something with satisfaction "but he didn't manage to disappear did he? The ministry of magic caught up with him the next day!"

"Alas if only we had" said fudge bitterly "it was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew-another of the potter's friends. Maddened by grief no doubt and knowing black had been the potter's secret keeper he went after black himself"

"Pettigrew…that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Rosmerta

"Hero-worshipped black and potter" said Minerva "never quiet in their league talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I- how I regret that now…" she sounded like she had a sudden bad cold as she dapped at her eyes with her tartan hanky

"There now Minerva" said fudge kindly "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eye-witnesses- muggles of course we wiped their memories later- told us how Pettigrew cornered black. They say he was sobbing 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you!' and then he went for his wand. Well of course black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…."

Minerva blew her nose "stupid boy…foolish boy…he was always hopeless at duelling…should have left it to the ministry…" she said thickly

"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter black before little Pettigrew did I wouldn't've messed around with wands- I'd've ripped him limb-from-limb" Hagrid growled

Athena tuned out she was only young when all this happened about nine but it sounded terrible she remembered there been something in the prophet about it and a lot of celebrating but she hadn't know about this.

"Is it true he's mad minister?" Athena asked suddenly

"I wish I could say he was" said fudge slowly "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man-cruel…pointless. Yet I met black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark, there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how normal black seemed. He spoke quiet rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored- asked if I'd finished with my newspaper cool as you please said he missed doing the crossword. Yes I was astounded at how little effect the dementors seemed to be having on him- and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night"

"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" said Rosmerta "good gracious minister he isn't trying to rejoin you-know-who is he?"

"I daresay that is his-er-eventual plan" said fudge "but we hope to catch black long before that. I must say you-know-who alone and friendless is in thing…but give him back his most devoted servant and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again…" he set down his glass.

"You know Cornelius if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle" said professor McGonagall

One by one they all put on their cloaks and headed out of the pub, Athena noticed something however Ron and Hermione were hiding behind the Christmas tree.

The next day was hard. Athena walked into her office and there waiting for her was a letter from the ministry.

Dear Miss Grey

Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in the class you were assisting we have accepted the assurances of professor Dumbledore that you bare no responsibility for the regrettable incident. However we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr Lucius Malfoy and this matter will therefore be taken to the committee for the disposal of dangerous creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th and Mr Hagrid will present himself and the hippogriff at the committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated.

Yours in fellowship….

There followed a list of names.

"Oh Hagrid" she got up and ran from the room setting out to Hagrid's cabin.

She opened the door to find Hagrid crying with Ron Hermione and Harry sat round the table and Buckbeak in the corner lying on Hagrid's bed.

"You got yer' letter then?" sniffed Hagrid

"Yes" she sat down next to Harry "I can't believe they won't let me go"

"Why not?" asked Harry

"Because I only assisted in the lesson that day I didn't take it" she said gloomily "Hagrid was the higher teacher that day"

They sat round talking about the case for a little while longer until they had to return to the school.

It was two days before Christmas, and Remus sat in his office with Athena.

"I can't believe we miss Christmas" he said sadly

"I know" she said "but…" she reached into her bag "I got you a present; I thought we could celebrate Christmas earlier"

He smiled and accepted the blue wrapped present. He slowly ripped open the paper to reveal a new brown leather briefcase with his name on a gold plate on the side.

"Athena this-" he stumbled for words "must have cost you a fortune"

"I saved my money" she said happily, and then she averted his eyes.

He smiled "I didn't forget you" he said going to his desk draw and taken out and a red wrapped square shaped present

He handed it to her and she ran her slim fingers over the package like she'd never been given a gift before.

She slipped the paper very carefully off then opened the box.

She gasped "I love them" her face lit up as she pulled the pair of blue converse out the box. "How did you even know my size?" she slipped off her purple converse revealing a pair of purple and grey stripy socks with two holes in.

"When you took your shoes off when we went out for dinner" he said with his hands in his pockets "I noticed your size and knew what to get you for Christmas straight away"

She threw her arms around him "thank you" she said looking down at the one shoe she was holding "I've never had this great of present before" he knew she was telling the truth.

Christmas day came; Remus sat up stiffly it was late in the afternoon they'd slept most of the time he was curled up against Athena's soft back. They fire was sizzling away but it was still cold in the room.

He stood up feeling a little embarrassed and trying not to look at Athena's naked body luckily she was lying with her back to him.

He quietly got dressed limping a bit. Once he was wearing a pair of boxers and a shirt that he left undone. He took the blanket off the bed and put it gently over Athena and placed a pillow under her head.

She mumbled something in her sleep but stayed in her slumber. He gently pushed the hair from her eyes and kissed her forehead before returning to his bed eating a hand full of chocolate and curling up with a book.

Athena woke when the room got a little to hot and her belly started to grumble from lack of food.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes it was around one she'd slept right threw from six till one with no nightmares which made her feel a lot happier seeing as Remus was in the room with her and she didn't want to worry him with her screaming.

She turned her head Remus was sat up in bed reading "afternoon" he said looking over his book smirking that cheesy smirk she loved

"Afternoon" her voice was husky she looked round the room sleepily "can you pass me my clothes please?"

He placed the book down "I was really hoping you would actually get up and fetch them yourself" he grinned

"Pervert" she gasped "just throw them over Remus Lupin!"

He rolled his eyes and got out of bed passing her, her clothes she got dressed quickly while he brushed his teeth

"Poppy will want to give us a check up tomorrow" he said when he re-entered the room

Athena nodded and put the blanket back on the bed with the pillow "until then you promised me someone to cuddle"

He didn't need telling twice as he gently pulled her onto the bed and cuddled her close they fell back to sleep together in each other's arms.

The next day Athena and Remus went to see Poppy for a check over

"You're both still very thin" she commented looking at their weight on the scales "Athena did you eat at all yesterday?"

"We did" said Athena honestly she looked a little miffed "tell her Remus"

"The house-elves bought us roast dinner" he said "We can take care of ourselves Poppy" said Remus kindly, Poppy raised an eyebrow "though the check over is always a good thing" Poppy still looked unconvinced

Snape showed up half away through the check up

"No memory lost or fuzziness?" he drilled Remus

"No" said Remus too kindly for the way snape spoke to him

"Come on Severus we didn't eat any sugar" said Athena "plus we knew what to expect this time round"

Snape sneered at her "you just better remember to get you're potion off me on time" he said pointing at Remus "and that goes for you too" he strode down the ward and slammed the door shut again

"Do you think his mother ever told him not to slam doors when he was younger?" suggested Athena she stood up

"Athena for Merlin's sake can you at least sit still for ten minutes while I check you over" poppy shoved her roughly back onto the bed

"But I'm fine" said Athena impatiently "Remus tell her I'm fine"

"I've had my check over" said Remus he buttoned up his shirt he looked pale

"Poppy I'm not sixteen anymore" said Athena as poppy checked her over

"I know that" said Poppy sharply "but next time I want you to eat more or you won't be able to teach…and I trust you Remus Lupin to take care of this one"

Remus appeared at her shoulder "I think we'll skip sugar all day next time to keep Severus happy and eat loads of food until we're sick"

Poppy nodded "you're done" she said to Athena "now you can go"

Athena jumped lightly off the bed "thanks Poppy" she smiled at her, Poppy had been the one to always take care of her when she was at Hogwarts she owed her a lot, maybe more than Minerva.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six- festivity and fears**

It was approaching New Year, and Athena's birthday (January 1st) it was also the staff party.

Athena was wearing a skirt and top tonight another outfit she never usually wore, as she walked towards the great hall where the party was been held. It was eleven o'clock and she bumped into professor Dumbledore.

"Not coming in Albus?" she said

"Athena" he beamed "looking lovely again. No quite the contrary I was waiting for someone to come along before walking in"

"Well I'm here now" suggested Athena

"Then may I escort you inside?" he held out his arm, Athena took it and they entered the great hall.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five…" the staff counted down each holding a glass of Champaign "four, three, two, one. Happy new year!"

Party poppers banged by themselves, streamers flew through the air, as the staff raised their glasses; the tinkle of the glasses filled the room.

Remus stood by Athena "happy new year and happy birthday!" he said loudly as Auld Langs syne began to play.

"Thank you" she said loudly back "happy new year!" and she kissed him, someone wolf whistled.

The staff all held hands snape rather reluctantly and they all song along.

"First foot threw the door!" said Albus "Remus will you do the honours, Severus did it last year"

Remus nodded and handed Athena his drink as he went to the great hall doors open them and stepped through. The staff clapped, as Remus bowed.

Remus and Athena walked along the hallway hand in hand.

"So fancy an early birthday present?" asked Remus he swung his key to his room around his finger.

"How can it be an early birthday present?" said Athena she looked at her battered old watch "it's already two hours into my birthday"

"I know" he kissed her and slipped the key in to the door.

They stumbled into the room together kissing passionately as Remus shut the door and muttered the silencing charms.

Athena woke up next the morning still wrapped in the blanket from the early hours of the morning, the fire was blazing away still, but new logs had been added to help warm the room, two pillows now lay on the floor, one she had been sleeping on. She looked around the room regaining her sense, two pairs of shoes by the wall near the door, cloths hanging over the end of the bed where they started, some books still on the floor, from the table incident, the chair had moved where she'd cornered him, and she lay where they'd finished over at six this morning.

The door opened and Remus backed into the room only wearing his trousers.

"Morning" he said setting the two mugs of tea down onto the table "sleep all right?"

"Great" she said sitting up "what time is it?"

"Ten" he said.

She nodded, and threw off the sheet heading for the clothes on the bed; she slipped on her underwear and his shirt.

Remus watched her the entire time and noticed the scar of her left thigh, two long white thin lines the higher line, had two round marks at the end, one was clean and round the other was misshapen, like a crocked tooth. It wasn't a coincidence that an identical scar was on his thigh.

"Fenrir Greyback bit you" he said suddenly

She turned round "what?"

"Fenrir Greyback he bit you" said Remus he stood up and touched the scar on her thigh, she pushed his hand away.

"You shouldn't have seen that" she said

"What are you not telling me?" he asked, his face was set

"Can we not talk about this now" she asked "we just had a wonderful night together let's not ruin it"

"Why would it be ruined?" he folded his arms "Athena we agreed not lie to each other"

"Do you want to know the truth?" she wore that grave depressed face again like the one she wore in the lesson about the Boggart's "do you think you can handle it? Do you think you won't be able to hate me?" she was hysterical now

"I don't hate you" he lifted her chin "I just want to understand what you're not telling me, because I -I think I lo-"

"Don't you dare says those three words!" she commanded pulling her face away from his fingers "because after what I tell you, you will not love me"

He didn't say a word

"Sit down and I'll tell you about my family and then you'll understand"

He nodded his head and sat in the chair they'd kissed in this chair this was the first time he'd felt that scar on her leg that was hidden under his shirt.

"My dad is a werewolf" she said she was trying to go about this the right way "he was the one who bit me and killed my brothers in the attempt to change us for his own personal gain"

Remus nodded his head "what was he going to get out of it?" he asked

"Have you ever been to Weylyngill-the wolf valley in Yorkshire?" she asked he knew the place he had once been there

"Only once" he said "I don't think I'd ever be able to find my way back there"

"That's the whole point I could go back because I have been more than once" he didn't ask her when she had been or why he let her carry on "first of all you know the werewolves pack order right?"

He nodded slowly "the leader controls the pack; he or she has two senior werewolves then everyone else in the pack is levelled by how well they fight their battles"

"Correct" said Athena "but the leader usually has to have an heir who will take over if anything happens to the leader, the heir has to be their child"

Remus's eyes widened

"My dad wanted to challenge the leader who had no heir" said Athena "but first he had to secure an heir for himself, Ares and Apollo were my brothers names, they had dark hair and blue eyes like my eyes" she gulped in air "Ares was ten when my dad bit him, but he got carried away and Ares was massacred"

Remus's face went white

"Apollo-sorry I meant to say my mother was obsessed with Greek gods she was going to work in Greece that was before she met my bloody father- anyway, Apollo was strong like me but the poison was stronger it went straight to his heart and killed him"

"So your dad" said Remus the word dad sounded odd from his mouth "he killed your brothers by trying to turn them into werewolves, but I thought the werewolf gene could be passed on?"

"It can't, everyone thinks that" she'd gone into teaching mode "the only way someone can become a werewolf is if the poison is passed in to the blood stream from a bite, that's why he had to bite them"

"But what did your dad do to you?" asked Remus he wanted to touch her hand "I sense more than just a bite"

"He use to hurt me" she shut her eyes and tears slipped from the corners "he use to feed me lies like mothers feed their children he was trying to toughing me up, keep me sweet I was his last and only hope"

"I'm guessing it worked though" said Remus seeing as she was sat here now.

Athena stood up "yeah" her shoulders shook "do you want to know why I hate my mum as well?"

He nodded

"Because she set it all up" she looked angry and upset "she was the one to lock me in the basement in a cage just like my brothers, just so my dad wouldn't leave her! But he never told her about Genet or Hazel or even Troy and Artemis"

"Who are they?" asked Remus trying to keep up now

"Genet and Hazel are werewolves who both live in Weylyngill or use to" said Athena her tears had stopped "my dad had affairs with both women everyone knew he was married, but they slept with him anyway just because he was their leader and he forced them too"

"I take it Troy and Artemis were the result of this?"

Athena nodded "Troy is a year older than me and Artemis is two years younger" she said bitterly "he was still with my mother when this happened-it makes me sick-even though Artemis is nothing like our dad she's more like me, which makes me worry that I am like my dad"

"Troy on the other hand is the double of my dad all accept his eyes colour he has brown eyes"

"What happened then?" asked Remus he was like a kid listening to a horror story "did they accept Troy?"

"No, they would not he was my dad's so called bastard son, they didn't accept Artemis either" said Athena she locked eyes with Remus he wasn't ashamed to look at her "they would only have me, but I refused I refused over and over again, my dad tried to set me up with Troy that was the first guy I ever went on a first date with he wanted me only the same way my dad wanted my mother and Genet and Hazel he wanted someone to breed puppies for"

Remus felt anger on the tip of his tongue if he ever met this guy.

"so I didn't give Troy what he wanted, I didn't give my father what he wanted even when he challenged the leader and won, he's still after me today but he can never find me" she smirked at the end cruelly

Remus's eyes suddenly widened "he's still leader isn't he?" she nodded her head

"Are you putting it together? My dad leader of the werewolves, my dad a killer, my dad who bit me and you"

Remus couldn't look at her not because he was repulsed by her she was in the same boat as him she had suffered her father's hand and he knew why she hadn't told him because she couldn't face the fact of what he'd done to her.

"Can you forgive me?" his head shot up "I couldn't let people know that I am some psycho flesh eating werewolf's daughter, and I don't want to be a Greyback, I just want to be me"

He got out of his chair and knelt in front of her "I don't hate you for not telling me" he said wiping away a couple of stray tears "I love you and you had your reasons like I have mine"

She smiled at him and kissed him and felt that in his arms she was safe.

"Promise me one thing?" she asked into his shoulder

"Anything" he whispered in her ear pulling her off the chair gently and letting her straddle him as he sat with her in his lap on the rug in front of the fire where they spent their best moments together

"Say you'd never walk out on me promise me you'll never leave me alone?" she almost didn't make the last sentence as the tears spilled again "I don't think I could be without you, you make me feel needed, in a good way I can be myself with you"

He felt the same way this girl, no this woman had turned his life around and made him happy "I promise ok I won't leave you" he said kissing her tenderly "it will hurt me to leave you"

She nodded as he lay back and she lay down upon his chest.

Lesson began again the day after, Athena's birthday. The class looked cold and gloomy as they trekked towards Hagrid and Athena.

"Come on you lot" called Athena brightly she was wearing a green knee length military coat, with her new green shoes, with grey fingerless gloves, a grey scarf and a grey hat. "We've got a nice warm lesson planned today"

The Gryffindor's looked happier while the slytherin's let out small groans. Athena shook her head and gestured to the class to follow her. She led them round the hut to a large bonfire; small flame orange coloured lizards were resting on logs in the fire.

"Salamanders!" beamed Athena "today's lesson we'll be collecting leaves and sticks to keep the fire blazing, as salamanders love really hot conditions and spicy peppers but sadly the seventh years are feeding them today" Athena clasped her hands together "if anyone gets burnt let me or Hagrid know and we'll sort it out, watch your cloths round the fire and don't stray too far" the class broke into groups and began collecting leaves and dry wood.

Athena headed back up to the castle rubbing her hands together she needed to get the peppers for the seventh years. She hurried into the staff room.

"Athena" it was Rolanda Hooch, sat on the windowsill drinking her late morning coffee and reading "Remus was looking for you"

"Oh when?" asked Athena she took a jar of green and red peppers from the shelf above the kettle she'd left them there this morning, the jar was warm and helped reheat her hands through her gloves.

"He came in about five minutes ago" Rolanda was still reading while speaking "he asked next time anyone saw you, to tell you that he was looking for you because he needed your help finding something"

"Well if he comes back tell him to talk to me at dinner" she headed back out.

"Am I everyone's privet messenger?" said Rolanda as the shut.

Athena entered through the door at the back of the great hall for dinner, someone slipped their hand in hers, and kissed her.

"Have you been eating chocolate?" she licked her lips

"I like chocolate" said Remus innocently "I was looking for you today"

"I was in lessons all day" shrugged Athena; she stepped out the way as Rolanda walked passed "what did you want? Rolanda said you wanted help finding something?"

"I need your help finding a Boggart" said Remus he rubbed his chin thinking

"What for, I thought your class had covered Boggarts?" Athena said suspiciously

"It's for a privet lesson, with Harry" said Remus "he wants to learn the patronus charm"

"That's very-brave of him" said Athena astonished "can I ask why?"

"It's because of the dementors" said Remus gravely "he doesn't want to lose the next match"

"I'll do my best" sighed Athena "snape just got rid of one though….hmmm….when do you need it by?"

"Thursday" he smirked

"Thursday!" said Athena shocked "you're pushing your luck Remus John Lupin" she poked him in the chest, then flashed him a smirk and took her seat.

On Thursday evening Athena headed towards the history of magic classroom.

She entered and found Remus and Harry waiting for her, Remus strode forward and helped her with the box. They placed it on top of Professor Binn's desk.

"What's that?" said Harry

"Another Boggart" said Athena "Remus told me what you two were planning an asked me to track one down, luckily I found this one this morning, it was lurking in Mr Filch's filing cabinet"

"It's the nearest we'll get to a dementor Harry" explained Remus "the Boggart will turn into a dementor when he sees you, so we'll be able to practise on him. I can store him in my office when we're not using him, there's a nice cupboard under my desk he'll like"

"Ok" said Athena she headed to the door

"Aren't you staying?" Harry asked suddenly

"I didn't know you wanted me to" said Athena "but I can if you want" Harry nodded

"Ok then" Athena took a seat on one of the desks.

"So…" said Remus taking out his wand and indicating to Harry to copy "the spell I am going try and teach you is highly advanced magic Harry- well beyond ordinary wizarding level. It is called the patronus charm"

"How does it work?" asked Harry, nervously

"Well when it works correctly it conjures up a patronus" said Remus "the patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the dementor feeds upon- hope happiness, even love-" his eyes flickered to Athena "-the desire to survive- but it cannot feel despair as real humans can, so the dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you Harry that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it"

"What does a patronus look like?" said Harry curiously

"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it" said Athena smartly "sorry couldn't help it"

Remus smiled that smile that made her smile back.

"And how do you conjure it?" asked Harry looking between the two adults

"With an incantation, this will work only if you are concentrating with all your might, on a single, very happy memory"

Harry was silent for a moment "right" he said after a minute.

"The incantation is this-" Remus cleared his throat "expecto patronum"

"Expecto patronum" Harry repeated under his breath "expecto patronum"

"Concentrating hard on your happy memory?" said Remus

"oh-yeah" said Harry quickly "expecto patrono- on patronum-sorry- expecto patronum, expecto patronum-"

Something whooshed from the end of Harry's wand; it was like a silver vapour.

"Did you see that?" said Harry excitedly "something happened!"

"Very good" said Remus smiling "right then- ready to try it on a dementor?"

"Yes" Harry said moving into the middle of the room. Athena backed up while Remus went to the box. He grasped the lid and slowly lifted the it.

A dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned towards Harry. The lights around the room flickered out. The dementor began to glide towards Harry.

"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled "expecto patronum! Expecto-"

His voice failed and he fell backwards and passed out.

Remus stepped in front of the dementor which turned into the full moon, he turned it into a balloon and it flew into the box.

Athena raised her wand while this was happening and re-lit the lamps, she bent over Harry.

"Harry!" she called, he jerked back to life.

"Sorry" he muttered, he didn't ask what had happened as he straightened his glasses.

"Are you alright?" said Remus appearing at Athena's shoulder

"Yes…" he pulled himself up on one of the desk and leant against it.

"Here-" Remus handed him a chocolate frog "eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it the first time. In fact I would have been astounded if you had"

"It's getting worse" Harry muttered biting the frog's head off "I could hear her louder that time- and him- Voldemort-"

Remus looked even paler, and even Athena felt herself lose colour.

"Harry if you don't want to continue, we will more than understand-" said Athena kindly

"I do!" said Harry fiercely; stuffing the rest of the frog in his mouth "I've got too! What if the dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lose the Quidditch cup!"

"all right then…" said Remus "you might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on…that one doesn't seem to have been strong enough…"

Harry looked deep in thought.

"Ready?" said Remus gripping the box lid.

"Ready" said Harry

Athena backed away again "go!" said Remus pulling off the lid. The room turned icy cold, the dementor gilded towards Harry reaching out a scabby hand.

"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled "expecto patronum, expecto pat-"

He fainted and fell backwards onto the floor.

Remus re-locked the Boggart away and he lit the lamps with a flame from his hand.

While Athena knelt over Harry who was lying on the floor, tears were seeping from his eyes.

"Harry! Harry…wake up…." she tapped his face

Harry looked dazed as he came round "I heard my dad" he mumbled "that's the first time I've ever heard him- he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give my mum time to run for it…." he suddenly realised the tears and pretended to tie his shoe while he wiped them away, a boy thing, thought Athena.

"You heard James?" said Remus in a strange voice that even Athena couldn't register.

"Yeah…" Harry looked up "why-you didn't know my dad, did you?"

"I –I did as a matter of fact" said Remus "we were friends at Hogwarts. Listen Harry-perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced….I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this…"

"No!" said Harry. He got up again "I'll have one more go! I'm not thinking of happy enough things, that's what it is…hang on…" he went into a deep thought again.

After a moment he got to his feet and faced the box.

"Ready?" said Remus who looked as though this was going against his judgement "concentrating hard? All right -go!"

Athena backed up again, but something crossed her mind, if Remus knew James potter at school then he would have known Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew.

The room turned cold and icy again, cutting off her thoughts.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry bellowed "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A huge silvery shadow burst from the end of his wand, it hovered between the dementor and Harry.

Remus sprang forward "Riddikulus!" he roared, there was a loud crack, and Harry's patronus vanished along with the dementor, Athena caught Harry as his legs gave, she waved her wand and a chair zoomed forward, which Harry sank into. Remus forced his Boggart (the moon) into the box.

"Excellent!" he said striding over to Harry and Athena "excellent Harry! That was definitely a start!"

"Can we have another go? Just one more go?" asked Harry

"Not now" said Remus firmly "you've had enough for one night here-" he handed Harry a large bar of honeydukes best chocolate.

"Eat the lot or madam Pomfrey will be after my blood. Same time next week?"

"Ok" said Harry he bit into the chocolate, as Athena secured the Boggart in the box and Remus put out the lamps.

"Professor Lupin?" said Harry "if you knew my dad you, must've known Sirius black as well"

"What gives you that idea?" Remus replied sharply

"Nothing- I mean I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too…"

Remus's face relaxed as Athena watched between the two boys.

"Yes I knew him" Remus said shortly "or I thought I did. You'd better get off Harry it's getting late"

Harry left the classroom.

"He did well" said Athena she and Remus carried the box between them towards his office.

"Yeah he did" said Remus he looked deep in thought.

"You never told me you knew James potter" said Athena "or Sirius black, I bet you even knew peter Pettigrew"

Remus stopped "I did, once"

Athena gazed at him searching his face "do you want to talk about it?"

He didn't reply

"Because you know everything about me" she said quietly "and I've heard a lot of stuff Remus"

"If you want to know then we better go inside" he opened his office door with his elbow, and took the box off Athena and headed towards his desk, where he shoved the box inside.

"So…" said Athena waiting for Remus to continue

"I knew all three men" said Remus he seemed pale in the fire light "we were best friends during school and during the war"

"What happened?" asked Athena "tell me what happened between all of you"

Remus sat her down at the table in his office, he sat across from her.

"James, Sirius, peter and I, were trouble makers at school" said Remus "we were know as the marauders, we all had nicknames, I was moony, James was prongs, peter was wormtail and Sirius was Padfoot" he swallowed hard "we created a map, of Hogwarts a map that shows everyone at that moment wherever they are inside Hogwarts" he lowered his head and was now speaking to their hands that were entwined together on the table "my friends were illegal animagus's, James was a stag, peter a rat and Sirius a dog"

Athena nodded trying to keep up.

"They came with me once a month to the shrieking shack, and after Hogwarts they helped me then too" tears formed in his eyes, he held them back "we all joined the order of the phoenix, we were so young though. James married my other friend Lily and they had Harry, but so many things went wrong" a tear slipped down his cheek, he brushed it away "Dumbledore thought there was a traitor among us, someone reporting our every moves, he thought it was me-"

"What! That's crazy!" said Athena

"you know as well as I do, that dark creatures can't be trusted" said Remus heavily "but, it wasn't me, but anyway James lily and Harry went into hiding and Sirius was to be there secret keeper, you know about the fidelues charm don't you?"

"Yeah" said Athena she remembered what Filius had said in the pub "truth is I know this part, that day in Hogsemead the minister of magic told me the story"

Remus nodded his understanding "well I was told Sirius was their secret keeper, but I never believed that he did what he did, I knew him I thought I did, and he wouldn't have done that. But then he killed peter, and I knew I didn't know him anyone"

Athena squeezed his hands, as a couple more tears stained his cheeks. She wiped them a way gently, and he rubbed his cheek on her hand.

"It must be hard for you at the moment" she said softly lifting his chin up to see his eyes

"It is" said Remus his brown eyes were filled with a mix of feelings from sadness to betrayal "I can't believe he's come back for Harry, I don't even know how he escaped"

"Isn't it obvious?" said Athena Remus looked puzzled "dementors can only sense human emotions….if Sirius black turned into a dog he could have slipped right past them"

"Of course" said Remus aggravated "but how did you know that?"

"I did my research" a smile graced her lips as she hugged him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven- ghosts and gryffindors**

Distractions, distractions were distractions, if it wasn't Remus then, it was Hagrid, and if it wasn't Hagrid it was another teacher. But now as Athena tried ever so hard to mark her homework for her classes, another distraction occurred.

A soft knock on the door, Athena sighed she'd never get the marking done at this rate.

She walked to her office door and opened it. Hermione granger stood in the door way, her cheeks a soft pink colour and littered with tear stains.

"Hermione" said Athena forgetting her frustration "are you ok?"

Hermione gave a small nodded.

"Why don't you come in?" said Athena standing aside "then we can talk properly"

Hermione hid her face behind the books she was carrying and came into the room.

Athena gathered up the piles of paper on the table and placed them on her already full desk; she sat down and indicated Hermione to sit as well.

"What's happened?" asked Athena she was trying to act concerned

"Ron and Harry hate me" sniffed Hermione

"They don't hate you" said Athena straight out "they're your best friends"

"Ron thinks that crookshanks ate scabbers" Hermione's eyes were turning red as tears escaped "and Harry blames me for having his firebolt taken away from him"

"Well the broom thing…from what I've heard was a very good idea of yours, it could have been sent by black" said Athena she smiled kindly "but I don't know who crookshanks and scabbers are"

"Oh" said Hermione "crookshanks is my ginger cat and scabbers is Ron's rat"

"Ok, so Ron's angry at you for your cat eating his rat?"

Hermione nodded

"Well he does have a right to be angry" Hermione's face turned to stone "but crookshanks was just doing what any other cat would have done"

Hermione smiled softly

"I knew you'd understand…Hagrid does as well…but" Hermione cut herself off

"You needed a women's opinion" said Athena proudly

Hermione nodded again

"Well I'm happy you came to me" said Athena she looked at the stack of paper

"Professor-"

"Athena!"

"Sorry Athena- are you a werewolf?"

Athena looked taken back "why would you ask that?" she said coolly

"Because I did professor Snape's essay and I looked at the Luna charts and well I think professor Lupin is one too. So-er- are you both werewolves?" Hermione asked hurriedly

Athena didn't know what to say "we are" she said flatly "but Hermione you are not to tell anyone!" Athena pointed a finger at her

Hermione nodded "I wouldn't do that" she said kindly "not to you or professor Lupin…you're the best teachers we've ever had"

Athena considered this girl in front of her she must have been the smartest girl in the school.

"And are you and professor Lupin dating?" she smiled afterwards

"You could say, we are" said Athena, truth was they were but without the dates.

"You two make a very nice couple" Athena smiled "I'm going to go now you seem like you need to get on with a lot of work" Hermione indicated the piles of paper.

"You have no idea" said Athena she showed Hermione to the door "stop by any time"

Hermione nodded and hurried away.

Athena didn't return to the piles of paper instead she went to the mantel piece and took a handful of Floo powder from the jar next to her sunflower.

She threw the Floo powder into the fire, and thought of Remus.

"Remus I need to speak to you" she called into the green flames.

A few minutes later Remus emerged from the fireplace

"Yes" he said cheerfully hands in pockets

"Hermione granger" said Athena

"What about her?" said Remus "is it about how awful her name is?"

"No, though Hermione is a nice name but granger" Athena shook her head, stay focused "she knows we're werewolves"

"You told her?" said Remus blankly

"No" said Athena "she worked it out herself"

"Can we trust her?"

"I think we can"

Athena walked hurriedly down to the Quidditch pitch she was running late for the match which was about to start in two minutes, she crossed the lawns and headed up to the teachers stands.

Remus saw Athena's blonde curls before her as her head came bobbing up the stairs; she saw him instantly and took the available seat next to him.

"Cutting it close?" he said

She nodded "sorry I only just finished my marking, only the third years to do tomorrow now" she said her eyes casting across the pitch.

The Gryffindor team walked out onto the pitch and the stadium burst into applause.

The Ravenclaw team were already stood there.

The captains shook hands with each other; the teams mounted their brooms and kicked off from the ground.

"They're off and the big excitement of this match is the firebolt which Harry potter is flying for Gryffindor. According to which broomstick, the firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's world championship-" Athena smirked and looked at Lee Jordon who was sat in the front row with McGonagall.

"Jordon would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Minerva

"Right you are, professor- just giving a bit of background information. The firebolt incidentally, has a built in-auto-brake and-"

"Jordan!"

"Ok, ok Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor heading for goal…"

Katie soared down the pitch and scored the first goal the Gryffindor's went wild. Athena cheered

"I thought you weren't suppose to have favourites" said Remus laughing above the noise

"Screw that" said Athena watch Harry diving for the snitch "we were both once Gryffindor's"

A bludger flew straight at Harry who veered off course missing catching the snitch, the Gryffindor supporters let out a loud disappointing echo of "oooooohhh"

George Weasley took out his feelings by hitting the bludger that almost hit Harry straight back at the Ravenclaw beater.

"Gryffindor lead by eighty points to zero, and look at that firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now. See it turn- Chang's comet is just no match for it. The firebolt's precision- balance is really noticeable in this long-"

"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"

Ravenclaw had scored three more goals now; if Cho Chang caught the snitch then Gryffindor would lose.

Every pair of eyes was on Harry and Cho as Harry dived down to catch the snitch.

"He's faking" said Remus carefully watching

"How do you know?" said Athena watching Harry soaring down

"I've watched his dad remember" said Remus

Harry pulled out the dive, a fake snitch grab. Remus held his hands up and shrugged as Athena raised an eyebrow at him.

Harry and Cho were above the pitch now, when Harry accelerated towards the Ravenclaw goalposts. He was gaining on the snitch, but then three black cloaked figures appeared, Cho screamed, Remus and Athena stood up from their seats both holding their breath as Harry performed the patronus charm, and caught the snitch. The dementors fell backwards.

The Gryffindor team attacked Harry with hugs. The Gryffindor supports fled from the stands and all cheered Harry on.

Remus and Athena came up behind the commotion.

"That was quite some patronus" said Remus in Harry's ear

Harry turned round to see Athena and Remus stood behind him both shaken and pleased.

"The dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly "I didn't feel a thing!"

"That would be because they-er-weren't dementors" said Athena "come and see-"

She led Harry out the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the pitch.

"You gave Mr Malfoy quite a fright" said Remus amused

Harry stared. Lying in a crumpled heat on the ground were, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, all struggling to remove them from long black hooded robes.

Minerva was bearing down on the four boys.

"An unworthy trick!" she shouted "a low and cowardly attempt and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to professor Dumbledore about this make no mistake! Ah here he comes now!"

Athena smiled what a great victory for Gryffindor. As the crowds headed back to the school for their party, Athena and Remus slowly wondered hand in hand back up the grass slopes.

They retired to Remus's quarters again, and spent the afternoon there.

Athena lay curled against Remus who had his arms up and hands behind his head

He sighed and Athena knew that sigh

"What's wrong?" she asked looking up at him

"I just can't help thinking maybe I should tell Albus that Sirius is a Animagus" said Remus he stared at the ceiling

"If you feel that its right" said Athena she propped herself up on her elbow one arm hanging over his chest, she saw his face screw up "but that's not just what's worrying you?"

He sighed again and looked at her "I betrayed Albus all those years ago what will he say?-" Athena went to speak "actually hold that-I'll tell you what he'll say he'll say he's disappointed in me for not telling him sooner and what a stupid boy I've been for going around the forest and Hogsemead at night as a werewolf-"

"Shut up!" said Athena sharply

"What?" he said raising himself up a little off the bed

"Just shut up" said Athena she smiled at him stupid man "yes Albus may be disappointed in you but that was over twelve years ago he's not going to blame you, if you did it now he might but not now"

Remus just stared at her mouth hanging open

"Now unless you are going to speak to Albus about this" she used a threatening finger "then I don't want any more moaning groaning or sighing about this because it's not your problem-do you hear me?-_not you're problem_" she lifted his chin and kissed him it took him a few moments to realise that they were kissing until he pulled away

"I choose the right girl here" he whispered leaning forward to kiss her

She leant back slipping out of bed he fell almost face down onto the bed "but I choose the man that keeps me in bed all day and almost makes me miss dinner" she pointed at the clock and started to dress.

It was about 3'oclock in the morning when Athena went storming up towards the Gryffindor common room, she met Minerva on the way.

"Are they still partying?" said Athena irritably

Minerva spoke the password to sir Cadogan and both teachers entered the Gryffindor common room that was filled with students.

"Now, really, enough's enough!" said Minerva tying up her tartan dressing gown

Athena frowned "I agree with Professor McGonagall, I can here you the floor bellow…Percy I expected better of you"

"I certainly didn't authorise this professors" said Percy puffing up his chest "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare-"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled "PROFESSOR I WOKE UP AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Athena and Minerva stared at him.

"Don't be ridiculous Weasley, how could he possibly have got through the portrait hole?" said Minerva

"Ask him!" said Ron pointing a shaking finger at the back of sir Cadogan's picture "ask him if he saw-"

Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Minerva pushed open the back of the portrait and went outside.

The whole common room listened with baited breath

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor tower?"

"Certainly good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan

There was a stunned silence both inside and outside the common room.

"You-you did?" said Minerva "but- but the password!"

"He had 'em" said Sir Cadogan proudly "had the whole week's my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

Minerva pulled herself back through the portrait and faced the stunned crowd of Gryffindor's and Athena. She was white as chalk.

"Which person" she said her voice shaking "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

There was utter silence, broken by the most terrified of squeaks. Neville raised a trembling hand slowly into the air.

"Oh Neville" said Athena putting her head in her hands.

"Longbottom!" Minerva's voice had turned suddenly high

"We can deal with Neville later Minerva" said Athena she turned to the portrait of the men playing chess that hung in the common room "send word across the castle, wake the teachers and the headmaster tell Mr Filch to secure the entrances, we need to find Sirius black before he escapes"

The men playing chess nodded and stepped out of the picture frame.

"Minerva" said Athena turning around "find Albus tell him what's happened"

Minerva nodded and headed out the portrait but stopped mid way "what about the students?"

"the other students will be fine, we'll make sure their safe in their common rooms" said Athena quickly "I'll stay here with the Gryffindor's, send Remus I need to speak with urgently" she looked up at the empty portrait the girl called Violet stepped into the frame been nosey

Minerva nodded, and left.

Athena faced the Gryffindor's "wake anyone who's not awake, tell them to join the rest of the house in the common room" the prefects nodded and hurried off the check the dorms "everyone better get settled we're in for a long couple of hours"

The students sat around the common room talking nervously to each other. Silence only fell when a teacher would enter the room or a picture would relay a message to Athena.

Half an hour later the portrait opened and Remus strode in wand in hand wearing his dressing gown and pyjama bottoms. Athena stood up from the chair by the portrait, she been sat there wand pointed at the back on Sir Cadogan's picture.

"Are you alright?" said Remus he touched her arm, but Athena nodded at the Gryffindor's and they both stepped behind the portrait and out of site

"I'm fine" said Athena "any sign of him?"

"Nothing" said Remus "we've looked everywhere"

"I can't believe he attacked Ron"

"Why would he attack Ron though?" said Remus "why didn't he go for Harry?"

"He might have got the wrong bed" shrugged Athena

"Are you going to be ok here?" Remus asked her

She nodded and rubbed her arms it was a little chilli

"Do you want me to wait here while you go and get changed?" he said looking over her body that he loved so much

"No, I'm fine" she looked down at her navy shorts and blue t-shirt "I think I'm entertainment for some of the older boys"

Remus smiled, and kissed her forehead, none of the students could see them.

Athena walked back round the corner and found Parvati and Lavender waiting for her.

"Is there any news professor grey?" asked Lavender nervously

"Not yet" said Athena "professor McGonagall will tell us when it's safe again"

At dawn Minerva entered the common room, she whispered something to Athena before addressing the Gryffindor's

"It is an unfortunate event, that Sirius black has not been caught" the Gryffindor's groaned "however the fat lady is been reinstated to her job and will be guarded by security trolls…Mr Longbottom I'd like a word with you"

Neville got slowly out of his seat and was directed out of the common room by Minerva.

"It might be best that you try to get some sleep before breakfast" said Athena to the students "you've all got lessons tomorrow, so hurry along" she waited until all the students were in their dorms before leaving.

Athena and the teachers spent most of the next day during lesson hours securing the castle. Athena helped station the trolls outside Gryffindor tower, while the fat lady's portrait was re-hung in its place.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter nine- Hagrid and huge successes **

Neville got into a lot of trouble with Minerva; he was banned from future Hogsemead trips, received detention and was not allowed to be told the password to the tower, so he'd have to sit outside until someone let him in. however he received a rather unfortunate punishment from his grandmother, at breakfast two days after the Sirius black attack, Neville received a howler.

Athena looked up as he ran from the hall as the slytherin's broke into laughter, the howler exploded in the entrance hall and the entire great hall herd Neville's grandmothers voice hundred time louder than normal, she shouted about Neville disgracing the family.

However before breakfast Athena had stopped Hagrid.

"Look Hagrid I need to ask you something" she said

"Of course!" said Hagrid

"You need to speak to Ron and Harry about Hermione; I know she's been visiting you too, but I can't see her cry anymore"

Hagrid nodded "I can do that" he said.

So as Harry's snowy white owl landed in front of him Athena knew he was receiving a letter from Hagrid.

It was Saturday afternoon, well midday, when Athena lay on her front with the sheet over he body marking the third years homework.

She had her legs crossed in the air and her head up as she read the papers and marked them in red ink.

Remus sat at the top of the bed watching her, he only wore his trousers again which were undone.

"Finished yet?" he asked rubbing her leg

"Nope" she said moving the paper she'd just marked on to the a second pile "I need to do this"

"Can't we have round two, then you finish it?" he said moving down next to her and nibbling her ear.

"We shouldn't have, had round one" said Athena rolling her shoulder to brush him away "you ask to borrow red ink and you're dragged into bed"

Remus heaved a heavy sigh and sat back up the bed.

"The sooner I get this done the quicker we can have round two" she crossed out two words.

Remus just smiled behind her.

"Plus this is really important; the class can't seen big creatures anymore so they need to know how to handle them through their home-"

She was cut off by the sudden roar of the fire.

She ducked under the sheet, with her legs still in the air.

Remus glared at the fire as it turned green he pushed Athena's legs down gently. A voice spoke.

"Lupin!" it was snape "I'd like a word!"

He sounded angry.

Athena looked up as Remus got of the bed and dressed quickly.

"What does he want?" she said quietly

"I don't know" said Remus pulling on his jumper "I'll be back soon" and he stepped into the green flames.

Remus returned a short while later; he closed the door behind him and stared off into space.

Athena now half dressed, in her underwear and his shirt again dumped her third year's homework on the table.

"Done!" she exclaimed proudly "you alright you look like you've seen a ghost?"

"I think I have" said Remus he handed Athena a battered piece of parchment from his pocket, he drew his wand "professor Athena Emily Grey wishes to see what you conceal"

Athena blinked at the parchment as an invisible hand began to write.

"Mr moony presents the marauders map, he compliments professor grey on her good looks and ask her to owl him when she gets the chance"

Athena couldn't help but smile

"Mr Prongs agrees with Mr Moony how someone as pretty as her ended up with the guy next to her he will never know"

Remus frowned

"Mr Padfoot would like to say many things to professor grey and one of them is dump the old timer and run away with me"

"Mr Wormtail bids professor grey good day and advises her that he is a far better match for her"

"Am I to believe this is the actual marauders map?" laughed Athena "they're all so charming"

"It is the map" said Remus he didn't sound as amused as she was "Harry's been using it to sneak into Hogsemead"

"I can see why you're upset then" said Athena handing him back the map

"I'm not upset" said Remus handing her the map back

"I can tell you are" she gave the map back to him

"I'm not" said Remus giving her the map forcefully

"Remus!" she shoved the map at him

"Athena!" he said back

She groaned stomped her foot on the floor and threw the map at him "it's your map!" she said walking away before he could give it to her

"I swear I'm up to no good" said Remus the map suddenly burst to life, in his hands

"What are you doing?" she asked plainly the atmosphere was heavy

"Checking to see if Sirius is on here" said Remus he scanned the map twice "nothing"

"Maybe he's just not at Hogwarts" said Athena "the map only shows Hogwarts"

There was a knock at the door.

"It's Colin Creevey" said Remus he didn't move

"You going to get or shall I?" said Athena pointing to her clothing

Remus rolled his eyes and answered the door

"Yes Colin" he said

"I was suppose to take this letter to professor grey, but she wasn't in her office so I was told to bring it to you" he said quietly his camera hanging around his neck

"I'll give it to her" said Remus "thank you Colin"

Remus shut the door "for you" he handed her the letter which was a little soggy

Dear Athena

We lost. I'm allowed to bring Beaky back to Hogwarts.

Execution date to be fixed.

Beaky enjoyed London.

Come see us as soon as you can.

Hagrid

Remus looked over at Athena her face was set but her eyes were bright as the day.

"Hagrid lost the case" she said shortly

Remus forgot everything else then he just wrapped his arms around her

"I'm so sorry" he said she began to sob into his shoulder

The next time Athena saw Hagrid it was just before lessons on Monday

"We still have the appeal and I'll be there this time to help" said Athena "we can still fight them"

Hagrid nodded sadly as the class appeared.

As they walked the class back to the castle Harry Hermione and Ron joined Hagrid and Athena.

"S all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looks up ger me, Hermione. An' Lucius malfoy stood up an' said his bit and the committee ju's did exc'ly what he told 'em…."

"There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely "don't give up yet, we're working on it"

"Ron's right Hagrid" said Athena positively they reached the stone steps of the castle

"S'no good Ron" said Hagrid sadly "that committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that…."

Hagrid turned round and hurried back towards his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.

Athena strode past the class and into the castle; she herself felt that there was no hope for Buckbeak. She stopped however when she heard Malfoy's voice she turned round just in time to see Hermione slap him across the face

"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul-you evil-little cockroach!" she pulled her hand back again

But Ron caught her arm "Hermione!" he said weakly

"Get off Ron" and Hermione drew her wand

Athena decided it was time to intervene

"What on earth is going here?" she said rather angrily for effect, Malfoy was holding his red cheek

"Professor Grey I have just been assaulted by another student!" said Malfoy he smirked at Ron Hermione and Harry who were glaring at Malfoy

"Well…" Athena took a deep breath "Miss Granger five points from Gryffindor for hitting another student!" she turned to Malfoy "five points from slytherin Mr Malfoy for provoking Miss Granger and for bad language been used against a professor!" she turned back to the Gryffindor's "and Five points to Gryffindor for Mr Weasley's attempt at apprehending Miss Granger!"

Malfoy looked like he'd been slapped again "now I suggest you return to you're common rooms this instance or I will be forced to report you to your head of houses"

"Let's go" said malfoy and he stalked towards the dungeons with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Hermione!" Athena stared gob smacked at the girl "I'm very disappointed in you" she said and Hermione's face fell knowing well that she had done something inexcusable "but very proud of you at the same time"

Hermione gave her small smile

"Now you better get going" said Athena Ron and Harry smiled too "and I won't tell Professor McGonagall about this"

"I've always liked her" said Ron as they walked up the marble staircase.

The Easter holidays arrived, and so did the full moon.

"look Hagrid" said Athena picking up her large mug of tea, her skin had turned pale and she was getting thinner again "you're going to have to plan the exam"

"Me?" said Hagrid startled "I don' know, you'd be way better at it"

"but I can't" said Athena hoarsely "it's the full moon and I need to order all the creatures for Remus's exam, just do something simple, so they all can pass"

"I ain't got the faintest clue" said Hagrid he threw a dead ferret to buckbeak who was laying on his bed

"I can help with the exam, but also as the higher teacher you have to set the exam I'm just your helper"

Hagrid smiled "you've always bin more than that ter me"

"Tar Hagrid" said Athena "I gotta get back, let me know what you want ordering"

Hagrid nodded and waved a giant hand as she left the hut.

She walked as quickly as she could up the steps to the heavy oak door Professor McGonagall stood behind her she had stopped crying now as they reached the door. Professor McGonagall leaned over her shoulder and opened the door leading the girl in carefully.

"Headmaster?" Professor McGonagall walked forward "I have a student here who urgently needs to speak with you"

The girl limped forward her leg was still healing "I'm sorry to disturb you Professor Dumbledore" she said quietly "but I've come to turn myself in, I thought it-it be best" tears slipped down her cheeks "to come to you as I can't get to the ministry" she wiped her hand across her cheeks brushing her tears away

"Miss Grey" said Dumbledore; she'd had her named changed when she came to Hogwarts for her own protection "I do not know what you mean? Why do you want to turn yourself into the ministry have you done something wrong?"

She gulped down a sob and nodded

"What have you done wrong?" asked Dumbledore his eyes searched hers but he couldn't know just by looking

"Over the holiday's sir" she said Professor McGonagall put a hand on her shoulder "my father was successful in changing me into a werewolf"

She broke down in tears as Professor McGonagall comforted her

Dumbledore strode straight to the fire place in his office he threw a handful of Floo powder into the flames which turned green "I need to speak to you urgently" he said

Moments later a figure stepped from the fire, Alastor Moody the Auror walked towards Dumbledore's desk where Dumbledore had sat himself.

"Athena come here" beckoned Dumbledore, Athena limped her way to Dumbledore's desk the magical eyes of Moody's followed her it must be able to see the bandages on her leg "Alastor this is the daughter of Fenrir Greyback, and she's been bitten by her father, as soon as possible could you send McNair over to her home to arrest Greyback"

Alastor shook his head "I can send him over to the house" he growled "but I can't have him arrested without revealing the girl has been infected"

"very well, have the area inspected for Greyback and see if you can get him chased down on some cause or another" said Dumbledore his gazed switched to Athena "until then Athena will stay at Hogwarts she is not the only werewolf to pass through these halls, and I doubt she'll be the last"

The girl have him watery smile

"Take Athena back to her dorm Minerva" said Dumbledore "we will speak more in the morning"

Professor McGonagall nodded and took the girl's hand and led her from the room.

The day after the full moon, Athena sat in the hospital wing.

"Goodness you're thin" said Poppy anxiously "you look like you've had a bad change this time"

Remus stood worriedly behind her "but I'm fine, how could she not be?" he said pacing

"Look, it was just a bad change for me, I've been under stress and with the case hearing…" she rubbed her forehead

"Well you need another day of bed rest" said Poppy "and I mean it rest"

Athena nodded and Remus helped her up.

"Come on" he said halfway down the ward "you can stay in my room again; I can keep an eye on you there"

Athena didn't need telling twice; as soon as she lay down in bed she'd fallen asleep.

Remus tucked her up feeling like a sense of fondness, but more much more he was in love with her. He kissed her forehead like he usually did when she was asleep and made himself a pot of tea and sat down to read at his desk.

"You're looking much better" said Remus as he and the other teachers climbed the stairs to the teachers stand

"I feel much better" said Athena she walked along the rows of benches so her seat

Remus sat down next to her; he was wearing a red tie today with his shirt

"I thought teachers weren't suppose to choose sides in quidditch" said Athena suggesting his tie

"We were both once Gryffindor's if I quote correctly" said Remus noticing the red and gold stripy socks Athena was wearing.

"And here are the Gryffindor's" yelled Lee Jordan who was commentator as usual "potter, bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley and wood. Widely acknowledged as the best side Hogwarts has seen in a good few years-" Jordan was suddenly drowned out by the boo's from the slytherin supporters at their end of the pitch.

"And here come the slytherin, team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the line-up and seems to be going for size rather than skill-"

More boo's from the slytherin crowd.

The two captains approached each other on the pitch and shook hands, the teams mounted their brooms and Madam Hooch blew her whistle.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the quaffle, heading straight for the slytherin goalposts, looking good Alicia! Argh, no- quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of slytherin tearing up the pitch- WHAM!- nice bludger work from George Weasley, Warrington drops the quaffle, it's caught by- Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on Angelina- nice swerve, round Montague- duck Angelina that's a bludger-SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor crowd erupted with cheers.

"OUCH!"

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus flint went smashing into her.

The crowds bellow booed loudly

"Sorry!" said Flint "Sorry, didn't see her!"

Next moment Fred Weasley had chucked his beater's bat at the back of flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into his broom handle and began to bleed.

"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch "Penalty to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their chaser! Penalty to slytherin for deliberate damage to their chaser" she blew her whistle and Alicia Spinnet flew off to take the Gryffindor penalty.

"Come on Alicia!" yelled lee as silence descended on the crowd "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Then all attention turned to Marcus Flint, his nose still bleeding flying forwards to take the slytherin penalty.

"Course, wood's a superb keeper!" lee told the crowd "Superb! Very difficult to pass- very difficult indeed- YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVE IT!"

"If Gryffindor get fifty points up they win the cup right?" asked Athena

"That's right" said Remus watching the game "then it's up to Harry"

"Gryffindor in possession, no, slytherin in possession-no! - Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell of Gryffindor with the quaffle she's streaking down the pitch- THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"

Montague a slytherin chaser had swerved in front of Katie and instead of seizing the quaffle grabbed her head. Katie cartwheeled in the air, managing to stay on her broom but dropping the quaffle.

Madame Hooch's whistle rang through the air. A minute later Katie had put another penalty past the slytherin keeper.

"THIRTY-ZERO! THAT THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING-"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way-!"

"I'm telling it like it is, professor!"

Harry then shot towards the slytherin goalposts

"Another fake" said Remus surely

And he was right as the two slytherin beaters shot both bludgers at Harry. Both of the beaters went straight for Harry clubs raised, when Harry pulled his firebolt up at the last second and Bole and Derrick the beats collided with sickening crunch.

"Ha haaa!" yelled Jordan as the two beaters lurched away from each other clutching their heads "too bad boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the quaffle- Flint alongside her- poke him in the eyes Angelina!- it was a joke professor a joke- oh no- flint in possession flint flying towards Gryffindor goalposts, come on, now, wood save- fucking hell!" flint had scored, professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone from Jordan.

"Sorry professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten and Gryffindor in possession-"

It was turning into the dirtiest matches Athena had ever witnessed. Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead the slytherin team were resorting to any means to take the quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a bludger. George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam hooch awarded both team penalties, Oliver wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor.

Draco Malfoy kept trailing Harry, as the game played. Katie scored again; fifty-ten Fred and George were swooping round her clubs raised in case any slytherin's were keen to take revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred and George's absence to aim both bludgers at wood, they caught him in the stomach, one after the other and he rolled over in the air clutching his broom, completely winded.

Madam Hooch was beside herself, and so were half the teachers in the stand.

"You do not attack the keeper unless the quaffle is within the scoring zone!" she shirked at Bole and Derrick "Gryffindor penalty!"

And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. Moments later Fred Weasley pelted a bludger at Warrington, Alicia caught the flying quaffle and scored Seventy-Ten.

The Gryffindor crowd were beside themselves screaming and shouting themselves hoarse.

"Now all Harry ahs to do is catch the snitch" said Athena clasping her hands together "reminds me when Charlie won the cup for Gryffindor all those years ago" she sighed and followed Harry's movements as did hundreds of other people.

Suddenly Harry put on a huge burst of speed, he stretched out his hand, and the teacher's box fell silent along with the stadium.

Then suddenly Malfoy threw himself forward and caught the end of Harry's firebolt slowing Harry done, everyone saw Harry turn and lose the snitch.

"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics!" Madam Hooch screeched

"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Jordan howled in to the Megaphone dancing out of professor McGonagall's reach "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING BASTARDS!"

Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her fist in malfoy's direction, her hat had fallen off and she too was shouting.

"Completely unprofessional, cheating saw loser!" Athena and Remus looked at each other eyes wide at Minerva's attitude.

Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty but she was so angry she missed by several feet.

The Gryffindor's were losing concentration, but the slytherin's were in high spirits because of Draco Malfoy's foul.

"Slytherin in possession, slytherin heading for goal- Montague scores" Jordan groaned "seventy-twenty to Gryffindor"

Harry was now marking Draco malfoy closely but then….

"Angelina Johnson gets the quaffle for Gryffindor come, on Angelina, COME ON!"

Every single slytherin player apart from Draco malfoy, even the slytherin keeper was streaking up the pitch, towards Angelina, they were going to block her.

Harry suddenly shot through the slytherin's like a bullet

"AAAAAARRRRRGH!"

They scattered and Angelina was clear.

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor lead by eighty points to twenty!"

Harry who almost crashed into the stands skidded to a halt in mid-air, reversed and flew back out into the middle of the pitch.

But Athena's attention turned to malfoy who was suddenly flying towards a little shimmer of golden light just above the grass.

Harry urged his broom forward, he was gaining on malfoy, a bludger streaked past him, he was at malfoy's ankles, he was level, he knocked malfoy's arm out the way and…

"YES!"

He pulled out the dive hand in the air, the stadium exploded. The Gryffindor team attacked Harry in mid-air they all landed on the ground as the Gryffindor supporters fled onto the pitch. Minerva was crying into her flag, and Hagrid was beaming as he walked along with the crowd that were now carrying the Gryffindor team. Harry waved to Athena and Remus as he reached the stand.

Oliver wood still crying away handed the cup to Harry who raised the cup into the air.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter ten- ideas and incidents **

The exams were Monday, and Athena was rushed off her feet with preparations for the exams, for higher and lower years.

The day before the Care of Magical Creatures exam a letter arrived, from Hagrid to Athena.

Appeal on the sixth.

Coming up to Hogwarts brining minister of magic officer and the executioner

Got the exam ready, but you're going to have to oversee it.

The next day Athena and Hagrid were utterly miserable

Hagrid had set the exam which was pathetic; all the students had to do was keep their flubberworm alive for an hour.

Hagrid sat on the steps of his cabin while Athena checked the students.

"Buckbeaks getting a bit depressed" said Athena checking Harry's flubberworm "he's been cooped up too long, but still…we'll know the day after tomorrow-one way or the other"

"You still might win" said Hermione quietly

"Hermione you know as well as I do" said Athena "that if they're holding the appeal here and they're bringing the executioner….there's no chance"

On Thursday Athena assisted the defence against the dark arts exam with Remus for the third years.

They'd set up an obstacle course outside in the sun, the students had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of red caps squish their way across a patch of marsh ignoring directions from a hinkypunk then climb into an old tree trunk and battle a boggart.

"Excellent Harry" muttered Remus writing down Harry's score as Harry came climbing out of the tree trunk grinning "full marks"

Harry waited around to watch Ron and Hermione. Ron did very well until he reached the hinkypunk and was led into waste deep muck. Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the boggart at the end of the course. About a minute inside she burst out screaming.

"Hermione!" said Athena startled "what's the matter?"

"P-P-Professor McGonagall!" gasped pointing at the trunk "sh-she said I'd failed everything!"

"Hermione I thought you'd been hurt" said Athena hugging the poor girl who was in floods of tears, Remus shook his head amused but caring "just calm down, it was only a boggart you haven't failed everything"

Once Hermione was calmed down the boys and she headed up to the castle.

2 o'clock came and went, Athena looked at buckbeak, she was wearing her smart jeans, grey robes and a purple shirt with grey converse her outfit she only wore on special occasions.

"I'm so sorry" said Athena patting buckbeaks head gently "so sorry indeed"

She stood up and so did buckbeak he nudged her affectionately

A giant hand rested on Athena's shoulder

"He'll be happy out 'ere til sunset" said Hagrid sadly "I understan' you not come'n"

"It's the full moon Hagrid" said Athena touching his hand "I can't risk that"

Hagrid nodded he didn't speak as he headed back to his cabin.

Athena walked back to the castle for her potion.

Remus sat at his desk watching Ron Hermione and Harry move under James's cloak; they went into Hagrid's hut, as the office door opened.

Athena looked depressed, worried and pale.

"Hey…" she said her voice hoarse

"I heard what happened" said Remus sadly "I heard they're going to-"

"Yeah" said Athena cutting him off "what-what you doing with the map?" she leaned over the desk to look.

"Ron, Hermione and Harry have gone to Hagrid's" said Remus pointing at the map

"Ok…" she said staring at the fire "I can't believe they're going to do it"

"Some things in life we can't stop" said Remus shortly he stood up and began to move books around

"They made their choices before the appeal" Athena picked up the compass on the desk and walked it up and down "they brought Macnair…."

Remus looked at her "he kills werewolves you know?" he said shuffling more books

"I know" said Athena she twirled the compass on its point "tried to get dad once, I was all for it, until he found out then….the rest was history"

She looked down at the map, and blinked frowning hard and looking at the labels

"Remus" she said Remus hurried over "look…" she pointed to the trio a new label was with them

"Peter Pettigrew" read Remus

Athena nodded "and look" another dot appeared "Sirius black"

Ron was suddenly dragged towards the whomping willow, by Sirius black along with peter Pettigrew.

"The map must not be working" said Athena

"It is working" Remus grabbed his wand "come on we're going after them"

Athena drew her own wand and they both ran from the room

They ran across the grounds as fast as their legs could carry them they stopped at the womping willow.

"What are we suppose to be doing?" she said as they ran

"Harry Ron and Hermione are with Sirius we need to speak to him before he hurts them or the other way round so we can understand what happened" said Remus quickly "then we can take it from there"

"Ok…" puffed Athena

She picked up a stick and levitated very quickly straight at the not in the tree. The tree froze and Athena and Remus ran to the secret passageway under the roots of the tree.

Remus helped Athena through the trapdoor in the floor there were footprints all over the dirty floor, the wallpaper was hanging lose from where Athena and probably Remus had attacked it during their years transforming in there.

They headed for the stairs when they froze they heard Hermione scream.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" they heard "WE'RE UP HERE-SIRIUS BLACK-_QUICK_!" the last word was urgent

They ran up the stairs wands in their hands, Remus raised his wand and the door flew open with a jet of red sparks.

Athena looked round the room, Ron was lying on the floor clutching his leg that was bleeding, and Hermione was cowering down on the floor by the door while Harry was stood over Sirius Black who was holding a ginger cat who must be Hermione's.

"Expelliarmus!" shouted Remus, Harry's wand flew from his hand and so did the two Hermione was holding. Athena caught Harry's wand and Remus caught the other two.

Athena felt her heart still racing as Remus stepped forward "where is he Sirius?"

Sirius Black looked expressionless he didn't move at first until he raised a hand and pointed at Ron.

Athena looked at Ron in his hands was a rat…Peter Pettigrew was an Animagus a rat.

"But then…" muttered Remus staring at Sirius "…why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless-" Remus's eyes went wide "-unless he was the one…unless you switched…without telling me?"

Athena was slowly catching up, switching without telling Remus who was suspected as a traitor Sirius wasn't the potter's secret keeper Pettigrew was.

Sirius very slowly nodded his head

"Professor Lupin" said Harry loudly "what's going on?-"

He never finished as Remus lowered his wand so did Athena. Remus moved towards Sirius and seized his hands and pulled him to his feet they hugged like brothers.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione suddenly screamed Athena looked round at her as Remus let go of Sirius. Hermione was slowly standing pointing between Athena and Remus

"You-you-"

"Hermione-" began Athena

"-you and them!"

"Hermione calm down-" said Athena reaching out for Hermione slowly

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked "I've been covering for you and him-like I'd promised!"

Athena knew where this was going "Hermione listen to me please!" shouted Athena almost panicky "let us explain!-"

"I've trusted you!" shouted Harry at Remus now "and all this time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong" said Remus "I haven't been Sirius's friend for twelve years, but I am now…let me explain…"

"NO!" Hermione screamed "Harry don't trust them, they've been helping Black get into the castle, they want you dead too-_they're werewolves_!"

There was a ringing silence. Everyone was looking at Athena and Remus.

"I thought you said we could trust her" Remus said the Athena

"I thought we could" said Athena throwing a disappointed look at Hermione

"I have to say Hermione not at all up to your usual standards, only one out of three, I'm afraid" said Remus "we have not been helping Sirius get into the castle, Athena doesn't even know him she's just here to help me, we certainly don't want Harry dead…" that odd shiver ran through his body "and you know that we are werewolves so I won't deny it"

Ron made to get up, but let out a whimper of pain and feel down again, Athena made to move towards him to help until Ron gasped "get away from me werewolf!"

Athena stopped dead she wanted to cry "how long have you known?" asked Remus almost mockingly

"Oh she's known for ages!" said Athena angrily "ever since she did Snape's essay and she even looked at the Luna charts checking the dates we were off"

"Severus will be delighted" said Remus coolly "he set that essay hoping someone would realise what our symptoms meant. And checking the Luna charts as well you really out did yourself did you guess that my boggart turns into the full moon and Athena's the werewolf who bit her?"

"Yes" said Hermione quietly

Remus forced a laugh

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met Hermione"

"I'm not" whispered Hermione "if I'd been a bit cleverer I'd have gone to Dumbledore before Athena, then everyone would have known what you two are!"

"But they already know" said Athena "at least the, staff do"

"Dumbledore hired you both and he knew you were both werewolves?" gasped Ron "is he mad?"

"Certain people thought so" said Athena "Dumbledore worked very hard to convince certain teachers that we were trustworthy, Remus had it worse than me-"

"AND HE WAS WRONG! YOU'RE BOTH UNTRUSTWORTHY!" Harry yelled "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL ALONG!" he pointed a Sirius who had crossed to the four poster bed and sunk deep into it covering his face with a trembling hand.

The ginger cat jumped up next to him as Ron edged away from them both.

"We have _not _been helping Sirius" said Remus "if you'll give me a chance, we'll explain. Look-" he took the wand Athena was holding and the two he had and gave them back to their owners.

"There" said Remus he put his wand away, and indicated Athena to copy him and she did "you're armed we're not. Now will you listen?"

She crossed her fingers that they wouldn't attack them.

"If you haven't been helping him" said Harry throwing a furious glance at Sirius "how did you know he was here?"

"The map" said Remus at once "that marauder's map. I was in my office examining it-"

"You know how to work it?" Harry asked suspiciously

"Of course I know how to work it" said Remus waving his hand "I helped write it. I'm Moony-that was my friend's nickname for me when we went to school together"

"You wrote-" began Harry

"The important thing is!" interrupted Athena before Harry could keeping talking "we saw you sneak out the castle to visit Hagrid before Buckbeak was executed. Am I right?"

Hermione nodded slowly

"But you must have been wearing you father's cloak Harry to make it outside-" said Remus he began to pace

"How d'you know about the cloak?" said Harry

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" Remus waved a hand they were getting nowhere here "the point is even if you're wearing the cloak you show up on the map. I watched you cross the ground and enter Hagrid's hut"

"Twenty minutes later when I entered Remus's office I saw you leave Hagrid's" said Athena "you set of back to the castle now accompanied by someone else"

"No we weren't!" said Harry

"We didn't believe it at first" said Remus he was still pacing ignoring Harry "Athena said that the map mustn't be working. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" said Harry

"Suddenly there was another dot moving fast towards you labelled Sirius black" said Athena her eyes swept to Sirius "we watched him pull two of you towards the whomping willow-"

"One of us!" said Ron angrily

"No Ron" said Remus stopping his pacing "two of you"

"Can we see your rat please Ron?" asked Athena

"What?" said Ron "what's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything" said Remus "could I see him please?"

Ron reached into his pocket and pulled out a thrashing rat, Crookshanks the ginger cat hissed at the rat.

Remus moved closer to Ron he seemed to be holding his breath as he looked at Scabbers

"What's my rat got to with anything?" asked Ron again

"That's not a rat" croaked Sirius black suddenly

"What d'you mean-of course he's a rat-"

"No he's not" said Remus quietly "he's a wizard"

"An animagus" said Athena walking to Remus's elbow and slipping her fingers into his she was praying they were right, she saw Sirius glance at their hands "by the name of Peter Pettigrew" she finished

"You're-you're mental" said Ron finally

"Ridiculous!" said Hermione

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry "he killed him twelve years ago!" he pointed at Sirius

"I meant to" said Sirius his yellow teeth bared "but little Peter got the better of me…not this time though!"

Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Sirius lunged across the bed at Scabbers he landed on Ron's bad leg.

"Sirius NO!" Remus yelled a launched himself forwards and dragged Sirius off Ron again "WAIT! You can't do it just like that-they need to understand-we've got to explain-"

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Sirius trying to throw Remus off one hand still clawing the air for the rat who was squealing in Ron's hands

"They have a right to know everything!" shouted Athena she placed herself between Sirius and Ron

Sirius looked up at her she was stranger to him but he listened to her "all right then" said Sirius not taking his eyes off the rat "tell them whatever you like. But make it quick Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"

"Your all nutters all three of you" said Ron shakily "I've had enough of this. I'm off" he tried to get up but failed badly

"You're going to hear me out" said Remus he drew his wand and pointed it at Scabbers "just keep a tight hold of Peter while you listen"

"HE'S NOT PETER HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled trying to force the rat into his pocket again but the rat wouldn't hold still.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die" said Harry turning to Remus "a whole street full of them…"

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Sirius he watched Scabbers still

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter" said Remus nodding "I believed it myself-until I saw the map tonight. Because the map never lies…Peter's alive. Ron's holding him Harry"

Harry just looked at Ron

"But professor Lupin…Scabbers can't be Pettigrew…it just can't be true you know it can't…" said Hermione quietly

"Why can't it be true?" said Athena not Remus who was addressed

"Because…because people would know if Peter Pettigrew was an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework, the ministry keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals, there's a register showing what animal they become and their markings and things… and I went and looked professor McGonagall up on the register and there have only been seven Animagi this century and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list-"

"Right again Hermione" said Remus "but the ministry never knew that there use to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts"

"If you're going to tell them the story get a move on, Remus" snarled Sirius "I've waited twelve years I'm not going to wait much longer"

"All right…but you'll have to help me Sirius" said Remus looking at his old friend "I only know how it began…"

Remus broke off. There had been a loud creak behind Athena. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All six of them stared at it. Then Remus strode towards it and looked out onto the landing.

"No one there?" asked Athena Remus nodded

"This place is haunted!" said Ron

"No it's not" said Remus still looking puzzled at the door "the shrieking shack was never haunted…the screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me and Athena" he pushed his greying hair out his eyes "that's where all of this starts-with me becoming a werewolf. None this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…"

He looked so weary and tired, Athena immediately was at his side, he put an arm around her waist, Ron went to speak but Hermione shushed him.

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything but in those days there was no cure. The potion professor snape has been making for Athena and I, is a very recent invention. It makes us safe you see. As long as we take it the week proceeding to the full moon, we keep our minds when we transform. We're able to curl up in m- our offices harmless wolves and wait for the moon to set again"

"Without the potion" said Athena seeing as Remus found this hard "we are fully fledged monsters. It seemed impossible for werewolves who are young to come to Hogwarts, luckily Remus was given a place and I was bitten during one of my summer holidays"

"Dumbledore gave me a place under special precautions" said Remus "I told you months ago Harry, the Whomping willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts truth is it was planted because I _came_ to Hogwarts" Remus looked round the room "the tunnel leads here, they built this place for me to use once a month. I was smuggled out of the castle into this place to transform. The tree was placed over the tunnel to stop people coming near me while I was dangerous" Remus went on "my transformations in those days were very-very terrible. It is painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite so I bit myself and scratched myself instead. The villages heard the noises and screaming and thought they were hearing ghosts. Dumbledore helped encourage the rumour even now people don't go near the house which has been silent since Athena left Hogwarts"

Athena turned his face to hers and smiled at him he sighed back touching his forehead to hers "but apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever I had friend's three great friends. Sirius Black…Peter Pettigrew…and of course your father Harry. James potter"

"We hardly failed to see where Remus disappeared to once a month" said Sirius "he made up some really silly stories. Like his mother was ill and he had to go home to see her…we fell for that one a lot…he was always frightened that we would hate him if we found out"

"But of course you all worked out the truth just like Hermione" said Remus he looked at Sirius over his shoulder "and then they didn't desert me after all. Instead they did something for me that would help my transformation to not only be bearable but be the best times of my life. They became Animagi"

"My dad too?" said Harry astounded

"Yes indeed" said Remus "it took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school and luckily they were because Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong-one reason why the ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally in our fifth year they managed it. They could each turn into different animals at will"

"But how did that help you?" said Hermione sounding puzzled

Remus looked at Athena "as I am the care of magical creatures teacher here" she muttered "werewolves only attack humans. Animals are different a werewolf wouldn't harm a animal unless provoked"

Hermione nodded understanding

"So once a month they all sneaked out the castle under the cloak. They transformed…peter as the smallest could slip between the branches of the willow and touch the knot and freeze it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish but my mind was less while I was with them"

"Hurry up Remus" snarled Sirius again looking hungrily at scabbers.

"I'm getting there…well highly new opportunities opened up for us we could now roam the forest and the village at night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about Hogwarts grounds and Hogsemead than we did…and that was the birth of the marauder's map we signed it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot, peter wormtail. James was prongs"

"What sort of animal?-" began Harry but Hermione spoke over the top of him

"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip and bitten somebody?"

"a thought that still haunts me to this day" said Remus heavily, and Athena leaned into his shoulder she was his protection and he was hers "I also felt guilty for betraying Dumbledore's trust of course he allowed me to attend Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have, I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students to become illegal Animagi. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down with a new plan for next's month's adventure and I haven't changed…" Remus's face was hard as stone with disgust "all this year I have been battling with myself wondering if I should tell Dumbledore about Sirius been an Animagi but I didn't do it. Why? Because I was a coward and I fell in love. Plus I couldn't bear to see his face when I told him I had betrayed his orders all those years ago. So in a way Snape's been right about me all along"

"Snape?" said black taking his eyes off scabbers "what's snape got to do with it?"

"He's here Sirius" said Remus heavily "he's teaching here as well"

He looked at Ron Hermione and Harry

"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against appointing me as defence against the dark arts teacher as well as Athena with her job but not quite as harsh" Athena nodded her head closing her eyes "he has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons…you see Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me-"

Sirius made a derisive noise

"It served him right" he sneered crossing his arms like a child "sneaking around trying to get us expelled"

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month" Remus told the children "we were in the same year you know and we-er- didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous I think of James's talent on the Quidditch pitch…anyway, Snape had seen me crossing the ground with Madame Pomfrey one evening as she led me towards the Whomping willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be-er-amusing to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree-trunk with a long stick and he'd be able to get in after me. Well of course Snape tried it-if he'd got as far as this house he'd have met a fully grown werewolf- but your father who'd heard what Sirius had done went after snape and pulled him back at great risk to his life…snape glimpsed me though at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden to tell anybody by Dumbledore but from that time on he knew what I was…"

"So that's why snape doesn't like you" said Harry slowly "because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right" sneered a cold voice from behind Athena and Remus. Severus Snape was pulling off the invisibility cloak his wand pointed at Remus.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter eleven- justice and jealously **

Hermione screamed, while Sirius jumped to his feet and Harry jumped out of his skin.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping willow" said snape throwing the cloak aside but keeping his wand pointed at Remus's chest "very useful, potter, I thank you…"

Remus carefully pulled Athena away from him so they stood apart from each other; she however wanted to stand in front of him.

Snape was breathless but wore a very happy smile "you're wondering, perhaps how I knew you were here?" he said his eyes glittering "I've just been to your office Lupin. You forgot to take you're potion tonight so I took a goblet along. And very lucky I did…lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map, once glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway with her-" he nodded at Athena "and then vanishing out of site"

"Severus-" began Remus but snape spoke above him

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you've been helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin and here's the proof. You even brought your little girlfriend into it shame real shame you got mixed up with him Athena but you must be more like your father than I expected-"

Athena went to run at him anger flowing through her body "I'm nothing like him!" she spat at Snape. Remus caught her arm and held her back

Snape's lip curled up "not even I dreamed you two would use this as your old hideout"

"Severus you're making a mistake" said Remus urgently now "you haven't heard everything-I can explain- Sirius is not here to kill Harry-"

"Three more for Azkaban tonight" said snape almost taunting them "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this…he was quite convinced you were both harmless, you know Lupin…_tame_ werewolves…"

"You fool" said Remus softly "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

BANG!

Thin snake like cords burst from Snape's wand and wrapped themselves around Remus's mouth wrist and ankles overbalancing him. He toppled backwards to the floor hard not able to move.

"Remus!" screamed Athena she bent down to tug at the cords, with a failed attempt she went for Snape

Who waved his wand she should've moved quicker as the spell hit her and sent her flying across the room her head hit the wall and her vision seemed to turn blurry with black spots as she landed on the floor.

Remus wriggled on the floor shouting for Athena who was lying on the floor unmoving, but no sound came out.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY POTTER!" roared Snape

"Expelliarmus!" yelled Harry, Hermione and Ron all at the same time. There was a huge blast and snape like Athena was propelled across the room hitting the wall, a trickle of blood oozed from his hair line.

Remus struggled against the ropes as he saw Athena move very slowly. Sirius reached down and quickly untied them, he had experience with robes likes these unlike Athena.

Remus dashed over to Athena

"Athena…" he whispered "Athena my love can you hear me?"

Athena could hear him she was just waiting for the nausea to go away "I can hear you" she said quietly "just give me a minute…"

"Thank goodness" and she felt Remus's lips kissing her fore head "you're bleeding"

"oh great" said Athena and she opened her eyes the room wasn't moving and Remus's face was inches form hers she ran her hand up to her head and felt the soft trickle of blood there.

Remus helped her to her feet and steadied her when she wobbled

"You boy give me peter now" said Sirius across the room

Ron clung to scabbers

"Come off it" he said weakly "are you still trying to say you broke out of Azkaban for scabbers? I mean…" he looked at Hermione and Ron "ok say Peter Pettigrew could change into a rat there are millions of rats how's he suppose to know which one he's after if he's been locked up in Azkaban."

"You know that a very fair question" said Remus turning to black "how did you find out where peter was?"

Sirius reached into his robes and pulled out a picture, it was of Ron's family from the daily prophet when they'd won the prize money and had gone to Egypt to see Bill.

"How did you get this?" Remus asked thunderstruck

"Fudge" said Sirius "when he came to inspect Azkaban last year he gave me his paper. And there was peter on the front page…on this boy's shoulder…I knew him at once…how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts…to where Harry was…"

"My god" said Remus softly "his front paw…"

Athena looked at the picture "he's got a toe missing" she said "the only thing they found of Pettigrew was his finger…"

Sirius nodded his head like a dog "he cut it off himself" he said "just before he shouted to the street that I'd betrayed Lily and James he cut of his finger and blew up the street with the wand behind his back killing everyone within twenty meters of him he then sped down to the sewers with the other rats…"

"Did you ever hear they only found Pettigrew's finger?" asked Remus to the trio of friends

"of course they heard" said Athena "they were all there-even if I couldn't have seen Harry- in the three broomsticks that day I went to Hogsemead with Hagrid and fudge, who told us all about what happened to Pettigrew"

Hermione looked extremely guilty

"Look scabbers has been in my family for ages!" said Ron sharply

"Twelve years!" said Athena "rats don't live twelve years Ron!"

"We've been taking really good care of him" said Ron stupidly

"But he's not looking so good right now is he?" Athena noticed how skinny the rat was "I bet he's been losing weight ever since Sirius escaped"

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron point at crookshanks who was at on the bed purring

"This cat isn't mad" said Sirius he reached out and stroked crookshanks "he's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognised Peter for what he was straight away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me. Finally I managed to communicate to him what I was after and he's been helping me…"

"You've been communicating with a cat?" said Athena astonished "how does that work? Tell me about-"

"Athena" said Remus his voice a little harsh but amused too

"Sorry" said Athena she pulled a curl out her face

"What do you mean? How has crookshanks been helping you?" asked Hermione

"He tried to bring Peter to me but couldn't…so he stole the passwords to Gryffindor tower for me…as I understood it he took them from a boy's bedside table…"

"Neville's" muttered Athena of course

"but peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it….this cat-crookshanks did you call him?- told me peter had left blood on the sheets…I suppose he bit himself…well faking his own death had worked once…"

"And why did he fake his death?" said Harry furiously "because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

"No" said Remus "Harry-"

"And now you've come to finish him off!" shouted Harry

"Yes I have" said Sirius with an evil look at scabbers

"Then I should've let snape take you!" Harry yelled

"Harry" said Remus hurriedly "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents and peter tracked him down, but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father Sirius tracked peter down-"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry roared "HE WAS THEIR SECRET KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP, HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"

He was pointing at Sirius who was shaking his head slowly

"Harry…I as good as killed them" he croaked "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as their secret keeper instead of me…I'm to blame, I know it…that night they died I'd arranged to check on peter make sure he was safe, when I arrived at his hiding place he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parent's house straight away. And when I saw their house destroyed and their bodies- I realised what Peter must have done. What I'd done" his voice broke

"Enough of this" said Remus and there was a steel tone to his voice, Athena had never heard from him but knew why it was there as her brain worked over the events that had passed… "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron give, me that rat"

Ron hesitating held scabbers out to Remus who took him. Scabbers began to squeak and twist turning in Remus's hands.

"Ready, Sirius? Athena?" Remus asked they both nodded, as Sirius took Snape's wand off the bed

"Together?" said Sirius quietly

"I think so" said Remus holding up scabbers in one hand and his wand in the other "on the count of three. One-two-THREE!"

A flash of blue light erupted from all their wands and hit the rat who froze in mid hair before Remus dropped him and the rat hit the floor. Time seemed to speed up as the rat transformed from rat to human.

The man standing before them all was very short, shorter than Harry and Hermione. He had thin colourless hair with a bald patch right on top of his head. He had a shrunken appearance from where he'd lost too much weight in a little amount of time. He face was watery and his eyes small. He was breathing fast and shallow. His eyes moving towards the open door.

"Well hello Peter" said Remus talking to him like nothing had happened at all "long time, no see"

"S-Sirius…R-Remus…" Pettigrew's voice was squeaky like a rat "my friends…my old friends…"

Sirius raised his wand arm but Remus's wrapped his fingers around Sirius's wrist and gave him a sharp look.

"We've been having a little chat Peter about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed-"

"Remus" gasped Pettigrew sweating "you don't believe him do you…he tried to kill me Remus…"

"So we've heard" said Remus coldly, and Athena couldn't help but watch the way he acted her brain still hadn't worked out what she was trying to remember, maybe that knock on the head hadn't done her any good "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you Peter if you'd be so-"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew shirked suddenly pointing at Sirius "he killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too…you've got to help me Remus…"

Sirius glared at Pettigrew his face skull like

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out" Athena noticed he said 'until' so they were planning to kill him, she looked at Remus worriedly this was not the man she fell in love with. Why was he acting like this? Why was he talking about killing this man when there was such a simple option?

Athena didn't know what was happening suddenly the room had turned sideways and Remus was standing her back up

"Why don't you sit down?" he was watching Pettigrew who was on his knees talking to Ron

"I'm fine" she gently moved his hands off her arms trying not to show how scared she was and how the room was still moving a little "just hurry up and get on with it"

"If you made a better rat than human it's not much to boast about Peter" said black harshly Ron pulled his broken leg away from Pettigrew's reach he turned pale with the pain

Pettigrew crawled on his knees towards Hermione and took hold of her robes

"Sweet girl…clever girl…you- you won't let them…help me…" Hermione pulled her robes away from Pettigrew and backed against the wall horrified

Pettigrew turned to Harry now "Harry…Harry…you look like your father…just like him…"

"HOW DARE YOU SEPAK TO HARRY?" roared Sirius "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry" whispered Pettigrew shuffling forward hands out stretched "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed…James would have understood Harry…he would have shown me mercy…"

Both Remus and Sirius strode forward and seized Pettigrew's shoulders and threw him backwards onto the floor. He sat there twitching with terror staring at them

"You sold James and Lily to Voldemort" said Sirius shaking "do you deny it?"

Pettigrew burst into tears, and Athena stared at him horrified this man was a killer and begging for mercy. But if Remus and Sirius killed him then they would be killers too and then she would lose Remus forever.

"We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors. He can go to Azkaban…just don't kill him"

Harry had come to the answer Athena had why kill him when he can suffer what he did in a prison cell in Azkaban? Well they'd have to make sure it was safe prison cell so that he didn't transform and sneak out but then wouldn't they kiss him instead?

"What about professor snape?" asked Hermione Athena turned her head around to look at Snape lying on the floor

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him" said Remus bending over snape and checking for a pulse "you were just a little-over enthusiastic. Still out cold. Er-perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can take him like this…" he muttered "moblilcorpus" as though invisible strings were holding him up snape's wrists, neck and knees were pulled into a standing position. He hung a few inches above the ground looking like an overgrown ugly puppet.

"It's more Athena I'm worried about" said Remus, Athena turned to look at him and asked "why?"

"You seem to be losing concentration, love" he said sweetly examining the cut of her head "possible concussion…"

She took his hands and held them still "I can live through that" she assured him but she felt a nervous feeling swirl in her gut she was worried about the effect of Pettigrew and Sirius on Remus "now two of us should be chained to him just encase, you know he turns wild…" she smirked at the cowering man

"I'll do it" said Remus

"And me" said Ron who walking on his splinted leg

Sirius conjured shackles from the air; Pettigrew now had Remus chained to his left arm and Ron to his right.

Crookshanks jumped from the bed and led the way from the room.

Athena followed the others up the tunnel following last with Hermione in front. Remus, Pettigrew and Ron had turned sideways to make it down the tunnel, while Sirius drifted along Snape followed by Harry.

"Athena I'm so sorry" whispered Hermione looking at Athena "I shouldn't have told them about you and Professor Lupin"

"No Hermione you shouldn't have" said Athena but as she looked at Hermione she understood why she had done it "but you had to, you're friends were in danger and well please don't tell anyone else"

She nodded her head her busy brown hair bouncy on her shoulders "I promise I won't…not again"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter twelve kicks in the heart and kick starts**

They emerged from the tunnel Athena slowly walked along her head was dizzy again Hermione Harry and Sirius were in front of her, with Remus Ron and Pettigrew ahead out of the shadow of the whomping willow

A cloud suddenly shifted, Remus Ron Pettigrew and now Snape who had collided with Remus were all bathed in moonlight.

Athena froze her breathing quickened moonlight was just peering through the branches of the tree and she stood between two thin slices of moonlight one touch and she'd be gone.

Sirius threw out an arm to stop Hermione and Harry

Athena watched Remus his limbs began to shake, and then it hit her why Snape had gone to Remus's office why Remus was very harsh to Pettigrew.

"He's not safe!" she screamed, Sirius stared at her wide eye "he hasn't taken his potion!"

"Athena did you?" he shouted back

She nodded her head

"Run" said Sirius "run! Now!"

Harry went to move forward "leave it to me-RUN!"

Remus was snarling away as he began to change.

Athena began to take of her robe she pulled off her converse and waistcoat, she ran forward

"Athena no!" shouted Hermione as she ran past, Athena was bathed in moonlight now but she didn't stop running until her arms where around Remus's waist holding his arms down as she began to change along with him.

Remus's clawed paws broke free of the chain attaching him to Ron and Pettigrew, he dropped his wand.

Athena snarled as her transformation neared she was thrown from Remus's back just as Sirius transformed into a dog and snapped at Remus's face. Remus lashed out as Athena rolled to a stop and stood up a fully transformed werewolf.

Sirius was now bleeding with gashes across his muzzle as he snapped and snarled at Remus who knew not what he was doing.

Athena howled, and Remus's head turned at once to look at her.

She ran for what it was worth, and what were worth it were the people's lives back in the grounds as she ran towards the forest she felt Remus follow her.

She made it to the forest as Remus caught her sinking his teeth into her leg, he wanted to hunt her and he'd caught her.

But there was the snapping of a stick nearby and Remus's attention was caught by that snap and the smell of humans as he howled and ran in the direction.

Athena whimpered in pain she didn't look down at her leg because she couldn't because she slowly drifted into darkness.

The moon had set, as she screamed in pain the final stages of her shift back to human complete. She screamed again and crawled towards the trees she hadn't made it far into the forest last night, she crawled on her front the twigs and dirt scratching her skin.

She looked up her face was stained with tears from the agony that was flowing through her body.

There lying on the grass was her grey robe, she reached out her fingers closing around the fabric she pulled it over herself and slipped her arms inside the sleeves, she rolled on to her back and did up the buttons to cover the worse of her leg, she felt the un-coordination in her body how much blood had she lost? She began to crawl towards the castle again but stopped she didn't have the strength.

There were shouts and suddenly people standing around beside her

"Get her onto the stretcher" it was Poppy's voice

Hands gently lifted her up from the hard ground who did they belong to? "What's the extent of the damage?" that was Minerva speaking and she sounded worried

"well there's blood still coming through her robes" said Poppy the world was moving now "so I'm worried how much blood she's lost Athena can you hear me?"

Athena heard her she just wasn't sure if they could hear her so she tried to speak "Remus…" was the first word past her lips

"Don't worry about him now" said Poppy soothingly "it's you who's been hurt"

"Minerva make sure the minister doesn't see this" Dumbledore was speaking she heard their footsteps on stone floor so they must be in the castle

It seemed it be taking ages to reach the hospital wing but she heard the familiar thud of the door opening when she finally fell into darkness again.

Waking up in the hospital wing is never good at Hogwarts because you know something terrible has happened to you, either quidditch related or spell related even potion related.

Athena was lying on her back when her first thoughts were that she was staring at the white rafters above so she was on Poppy's ward, next she felt very, very heavy limbed like something was weighing her entire body down well that's what happened when you skeleton reforms twice in the period of ten hours.

Next was the fact that her left leg very extremely numb like it wasn't quite there yet. She tried to sit up but the pain that erupted from the side of her left thigh made her gasp and drop gently back onto the pillows. She seemed to be surrounded by pillows.

"You're awake" Athena lifted her head to see Poppy at the end of her bed "don't try to move you're leg is still healing"

"How bad?" Athena covered her eyes with her hand

"very bad" said Poppy and she came and took Athena's pulse "you lost a lot of blood, we had to give you a few blood reforming potions then stitch up the wound and try and heal it as much as we could, but we couldn't heal it completely you've got stitches and you're not allowed to strain them!" her voice was threatening now

Athena uncovered her eyes "ok…" she turned her head to the side and saw all the potions on the bedside table, but then she noticed the empty chair and the person lying on the bed next to her "how long has he been here?" she asked suddenly worried trying to sit up but unable to because of the agony in her leg

"He appeared just after we got you leg stitched up" she replied, Athena groaned loudly

"He'll blame himself" she said shedding a few tears

"He hasn't left you're side" said Poppy. Athena saw that she had tears in her eyes too but she held them back like a professional "I'm going to give you a sleeping draught you're leg needs time to heal and you will only fuss if you're awake" she moved round to the other side of the bed and took the purple potion off the side "drink this"

Athena downed it in one "if he wakes up tell him-" she yawned hugely " he's not to b-b-blame himself-" she sunk deep into the pillows "tell him I love him…" she fell asleep on the last word her hand hung over the bed like she was reaching out for Remus.

Poppy tucked the blanket around her gently moving her hand back onto the bed. She turned her attention to Remus he'd been sat on the bed ever since he'd arrived but his condition had won the battle when he'd dropped off to sleep, she took a blanket off one of the other beds and covered him up that startled him and he sat up dazed his brown hair sticking up at funny angles, he looked at Athena eyes wide

"Did she?-" he began

"Yes" said Poppy nodding her head "a few moments go she woke up, she said you're not to blame and she loves you, but you need rest too Athena will be fine why don't you go and find some food and get a few more hours sleep"

He slowly nodded but didn't move as he watched Athena.

Poppy went to her office and watched them from the small glass windows, Remus leant over and kissed Athena's forehead. He reached into his pocket and drew out a piece of parchment that he'd wrote on earlier leaving it leaning against one of the potion bottles, then he walked form the ward shoulders hunched as if he was in pain.

A shadow fell across them and they all looked up to see Hagrid smiling down at them.

"know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night" he said "I mean black escapin' again an' everythin'- but guess what?"

"What?" they all pretended to look curious

"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!"

"That's wonderful" said Hermione she gave Ron a reproving look when he was close to laughter

"Yeah…can't've tied him up properly" said Hagrid gazing around happily at the grounds "I was worried this morning' mind…thought he mighta met professor Lupin in the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night…"

"What?" said Harry quickly

"blimey haven' yeh heard?" said Hagrid his smile fading "er-snape told all the slytherin's this mornin'…thought everyone'd know by now…professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An he' was loose in the grounds las' night. He's packin' now o' course"

"He's packing?" said Harry alarmed "why?"

"Leavin' isn't he?" said Hagrid looking surprised at Harry "resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can' risk it happenin' again an' poor Athena she knows nuthin'"

"Athena?" asked Hermione "what about Athena?"

"She's a werewolf too yeh know? Don't tell anyone though" said Hagrid alarmed at himself "but she tried to lead Lupin away from the castle got herself hurt though'"

"Is she ok?" asked Ron none of them had seen Athena yet

"No, she's in a bad way Ron" said Hagrid sadly "but her and Lupin seemed' real close an all'"

"I'm going to see him" said Harry at once

"But if he's resigned-"

"-Doesn't sound like anything we can do-?"

"I don't care. I still want to see him. I'll meet you back here"

"he left?" said Athena she sat up ignoring the horrified gasp from Poppy as she tried to get out of bed "I need to talk to him!"

Poppy took hold of her arm and restrained her "he left you a note. Athena calm down or I will sedate you!"

Athena grabbed the note off the bedside table and unfolded it.

Dear Athena

I'm so sorry, for what I've done to you. I know you'll say that I wasn't to blame but I am. It was my fault I didn't take the potion unlike you and then I hurt you, while you put your life on the line. I know that if I was any other man than the monster that's inside me then I could give you everything you wanted a home and a family. But I am a monster a monster that has almost killed you.

By the time you read this I will have resigned and will be leaving the schools premises, please take care of yourself and listen to Poppy there's nothing you can do, everyone knows what I am but not of you, you're young and beautiful and I don't disserve you.

I love you more than words can say but I must give you up for your own sake. We won't see each other again but take care and know that I have been there for you and I hope that you remember me as I will always remember you my love.

Remus

Athena shook her head, her hand over her mouth the tears falling down her cheeks "he's gone and he's not coming back" she gasped when a sob broke through

Poppy tried to comfort her but didn't know what to do "it'll be ok-"

"Leave me alone!" sobbed Athena falling back onto the bed

Poppy stepped away from the bed and hurried into her office.

Athena listened and waited for the lock to click it did and she sat up wiping those stupid tears away, she would have to hurry if she wanted to stop him.

She moved quickly but carefully off the bed and moving very quickly with a limp that pulled at her stitches moved down the ward and out the door.

Poppy looked up through the window at Athena's bed which was empty, she'd been tricked; anger bubbled up in her as she unlocked the door and hurried form the hospital wing.

Athena hurried through the corridors towards the main entrance the halls were empty it was lunch time so everyone would be in the great hall.

She heard the chatter of voices as she passed by the great halls open doors. She heard someone call her name but ignored it as she hurried across the stone floor still in her shorts and t-shirt with a great white bandage around the top of her left leg.

She pushed open the front door and there he was just walking down the slope towards the gate

"Remus!" she called. He froze and turned slowly to look at her she stumbled her way down the steps. He dropped his suitcase, and coat and ran to help her.

"Athena, get back inside!" he said trying to turn her round and her push back up the steps

"NO!" she shouted thumping her hand against his shoulder "you promised! You promised you wouldn't leave me!"

"I'm sorry" he was crying also "I have to go"

"No you don't!" she grabbed hold of the front of his robes "you won't do it again, you can stay! You can stay!" she couldn't say anymore as she broke down in tears against his chest

He stroked her back like he always did "I have to go, not just for me, or the children, but for you, I can't hurt you again!" he pushed away holding the top of her arms and looked into her blue eyes

"I'll never forgive you!" she threatened now "and I'll never stop loving you!"

"I will never stop loving you too!"

The front door opened and Poppy, Filius and Minerva stepped out on the steps they all froze when they saw the two lovers.

Remus scooped Athena against his chest minding her leg and kissed her with as much passion he could muster and as much sorrow he could release.

Her hands were in his hair her tongue twining with his when he pulled away she shut her eyes she couldn't watch him walk away.

He picked up his suitcase and coat before walking further to the gate not looking back he couldn't look back at her broken face.

Athena opened her eyes and saw him almost at the gate "REMUS!" she screamed for him but he didn't turn back around and her heart finally broke and she fell to her knees

He wanted to turn around to be with her but as he walked under the gate he knew that he'd never have her again.

Minerva watched the scene and watched Athena break down and dashed off the steps to the girl who was on her knees in the dirt sobbing

"Let's get you inside" she said kindly lifting the girl

"No-no, he'll come back!" she cried and she cried as her and Poppy helped Athena to the hospital where she finally stopped crying and stopped talking because she knew he would have come back by now.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Dumbledore sitting up behind his desk and looking at the piece of paper in his hand

"I'm sure" she said confidently "I want you to take my letter of resignation in good spirit"

Dumbledore placed the letter on his desk "why are you leaving?" he asked.

"It says in the letter-" Athena began

"I want to hear it for myself please" he sat back in his chair with a determined face.

Athena breathed slowly "staying here with be agony for me, there are too many memories already" she said sadly "plus you know me Albus, never in the same place for long- you're lucky you got six months out of me"

He sighed also "reasonable answers" he mumbled.

"Yes they were, and they were truthful" she said pulling gently at her pony tail.

"Where will you go?" he asked casually

"I'm going to stay with some friends" she said nodding "they can give me a secure job and a roof over my head"

"Tom and Pier would welcome you with open arms" he said. Athena rolled her eyes, of course he would know she was staying with them "plus I will know where to find you"

Athena looked up and saw the hidden message in Dumbledore's sparkling blue eyes "he still doesn't know where I am" she said "plus I move about a lot, so he can't track my whereabouts"

"I would appreciate it, if you would try to stay where I might contact you" he said "so the Leaky Cauldron is one place I can find you, other places like your old flat and maybe Nymphadora Tonks apartment"

Athena stood up, if she had to run from her farther she would run, Dumbledore knew that, but unless it was necessary he didn't want her to disappear, like before.

"I'll do my best" she said "thank you Albus, thanks for everything" and she backed out the office.

It was the knock at the door that really ticked her off by then not only has she lost three t-shirts and a pair of pants but the shoes _he'd _given her had made her so upset that she didn't even consider packing them. Instead she threw them under the bed and thought maybe someone else would find them and they'd like them.

Athena went to the door and wrenched it open, standing there was Harry, Ron and Hermione "we heard you were leaving" whispered Hermione sadly.

Athena leant her head against the side of her door, she had wanted to leave quickly and without anyone knowing "I don't want to work here anymore" she said to them

"Why you were a great teacher" said Ron determinedly "you and Professor Lupin are two of the best we've ever had"

Athena stifled the sob that was about to break through her chest, the sound of his name was horrid "yes well unfortunately Ron, I can't stay in my job, I'm sure you all know that I'm a werewolf, and I can't take the risk of been caught teaching"

Hermione stepped forward "we'll miss you" she said, her eyes were damp

"I will miss you three too" she hugged Hermione like a sister "but you'll see me around again" she smiled but it was only half a smile.

Harry nodded and said "take care of yourself" but as the trio turned to leave Harry stopped and pulled a package out of his backpack "Professor Lupin said to give you this, he found them" Athena took the package her hands trembling she hoped they didn't notice

"Thank you Harry" she said, and waved goodbye to them all. Once she closed the door she carefully opened the package and there were her three missing t-shirts and knickers, of course she'd left them in _his_ room. The tears were about to leak through again when there was another knock.

Athena threw the clothes into her open suitcase and answered the door to wheezing Mr. Filch "yes?" she said

"You wouldn't happen to know what happened to the two hundred year old vase that sat there?" he pointed an old wrinkled hand at the empty alcove and pedestal.

Athena bit her lip and leant backwards, the vase sat on her mantelpiece with the flower "yeah it's here" Filch looked shocked at her words.

Athena went to the fireplace and took the sunflower out of the vase, and stared at it for only a moment before throwing it onto the fire to burn. She thrust the vase a Filch "there you go"

Filch spluttered "old antiques of the castle aren't yours to take-" he leered

"Well it won't happen again because I resigned this morning" she said slamming the door shut in his face. Now the tears burst through.

"Take care" said Minerva hugging Athena tightly "any trouble you get, I want you to owl me at once, understand?"

"Yes, yes ok, stop smothering me" she pulled free "thanks for everything" she said to Poppy, Pomona and Filius. "I'll let you know when I've settled" she added and waved goodbye as she walked to the gate. It was a relief to have no dementors lurking behind the pillars, sucking the happiness that had temporarily filled her. The sun was bright over head the sky was blue and everything- and she didn't know how long it would last- seemed good in life. Athena pushed open the gate and walked casually down the dirt track into Hogsemead, where she took one final look at her best home ever. Holding onto her suitcase and backpack she apparated.


	12. Sequel

The sequel to this story is now up, please read it and please review. I hope you enjoy it as much as this story.


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